Everyone has bad days. Sometimes they roll into a bad week, but it is important to remember that it’s a bad day or week or whatever, not a bad life.

Sometimes I am overwhelmed by everything on my plate. No matter how hard I try, something always goes awry.

Murphy’s Law states that anything that can go wrong will go wrong. After 21 years of life, I am positive that I am the personification of Murphy’s Law.

When I went to Europe this summer, I managed to book a completely wrong flight and then a week later; I lost my wallet with my money, credit cards, passport, and drivers license inside. Just call me Murphy.

I have had enough bad days to know that sometimes I just need to put it all into perspective. I know that I need to call my mom and let her talk me down off the ledge from dropping out of school and moving home, which is never actually an option, but I like to think it is.

The Bad Day Check List:

1. Call mom.

Mom always knows what to say, and if need be, she’ll tell you what you might not want to hear. Mom will always be the first to take your side.

2. Call your roommate.

Sometimes you need to hear your roommate tell you that you’re right. Roommates are like siblings, so they care about you just as much as any family member does. Roommates will know exactly what you need to feel better—Chipotle. It’s always Chipotle.

3. Keep a supply of chocolate nearby.

There are few heartbreaks that chocolate can’t fix. We always have chocolate chips or M&M’s around just in case.

4. Get up and do something.

Sitting around, wallowing in self-pity isn’t going to help your day get any better. Go to the gym and sweat out the stress or write a list of things you’re thankful for. Even tidying up your apartment or dorm can help to alleviate stress from the day.

5. Treat yourself.

I like to take long, hot showers after a bad day. I also like to mask and paint my nails. There’s something about pampering myself that makes me feel like there’s order in my life.

6. Procrastinate doing homework.

I know my mom will disagree with this, but I put off my homework after a stressful day. I let myself watch a movie or take a long nap. I think that time to relax is well deserved after surviving a horrendous day.

7. Cry if you must.

Having pent up emotion isn’t good. I hate crying, but sometimes it’s the only thing that makes you feel better.

8. Avoid seeing or talking to other people.

Sometimes I need to be by myself. While it’s nice that I have people in my life who want to be there when I’ve had a bad day, most of the time I want to be left alone.

9. Put life back into perspective.

When we have bad days, sometimes we think that our life is bad too. Sometimes we forget how blessed we are to live the lives we do. Sometimes I watch homecoming videos of people surprising loved ones when they get home from being deployed. I also like to watch videos of baby animals being reunited with their families after being nursed back to health by humans.

10. Cuddle a pet.

I don’t have any pets, but from what I’ve heard, animals have some understanding of human emotions. It’s also been said that petting animals helps relieve stress.

11. Have a go-to video to lift your spirits.

I don’t know when I found this video, but I always watch “If I Should Have A Daughter” by Sarah Kay. It helps ground me and makes me feel far better than I did when I got back to my room from classes.