After the calamity of first semester, I have compiled a list of things that I want to remember for this spring semester. Two weeks in some hiccups have already begun to put a damper on things; however, I hope my list of ten things will prevent anything from letting me get as low as I did the first semester. With better planning and mindfulness, I hope to tackle stress at college in a healthier and more efficient manner. Here are my 10 things that I hope to remember this semester.
1. Change is good.
College is all about change and embracing these changes in an attempt to discover yourself. It is good. Change is good for you. At the end of the day, people who can adapt can do more. Stop fearing these changes and love them for every lesson they will teach you; because some day, life is going to change all over again, as will you.
2. Stay involved and stay connected.
Don't retreat to your dorm room every night, and don't run to the phone every time it rings. Stay connected to those around you, even if you miss the ones back home. The relationships you are creating at college will be important when a loved one can't pick up the phone. It is okay to make new friends, while missing the old ones too. You never know where your friendships, both old and new, might take you.
3. Homesickness is okay.
You're going to miss your favorite coffee shop; you're going to miss your mom's cooking; and you're going to miss driving around a familiar place. This is okay, too. It is natural to miss the familiarity of a place. The longing should be treasured because it shows that you lived in a place that had a good impact on you.
4. Eat dinner, period.
There is no reason for you to not get out of bed and go eat dinner. Don't say that you are too tired and that cereal will suffice. Don't say that you have too much work to do and that there is no time to feed yourself.
5. Don't deny yourself coffee.
Don't tell yourself that you don't need a cup of coffee. If you're feeling down and want a cup, allow yourself some. Live your life more out of what you're feeling in the moment, not a planned out routine. Don't plan your caffeine intakes as simply sources of energy. Be mindful about each cup of coffee, and you will feel energized in an entirely new way.
6. It's okay to slip up once in awhile.
You hold yourself to such high standards, and you panic the moment it doesn't turn out the way you planned. It is okay to slip up. It is okay to not always be the self you expect yourself to be, because you're still you at the end of the day.
7. You don't always have to be so guarded.
Let down your emotional fortress. Tell people your story. Open up to the world so it will open up to you. Your life is a compilation of the places you've been and the people you've met. Embrace your story, and show the world the wonderful "you" that you are.
8. Sleep = Success.
Put down that textbook -- you learned last semester that it doesn't make a very good pillow. Prioritizing your sleep is not a bad decision; it is possibly the best way you will see a noticeable difference in the next day. You can only drink so much coffee in one day before you realize that sleep is the real thing that you are missing. Sleep when it is time to sleep, and nap when it's time to nap, so you don't have to fight off a snooze in your afternoon classes.
9. Always go the extra mile.
Even when you're tired out, always push out that extra "mile." When you have one more page to read and your eyes are getting tired, read two more. When you're running on the treadmill and have some extra time despite your tiring legs, run an extra mile. The extra mile says a lot about your character, and it is where you will find yourself and what you truly care about.
