We all have different energy levels and bodily needs, and that's why we all may react differently to changes in routine. If you've recently started (or will start) graduate school, chances are you may require some adjustment to the new routine. Your new routine can seem daunting at first - getting ready, packing meals, working, commuting, chores, and running errands all in one day? It sounds like a lot!
Not to mention, grad school is a different ball game, requiring a lot more self-motivation and personal check-ins than perhaps undergrad did.
The good news is that you don't have to do that all in one day, and each day can be filled with things that make you feel energized, too.
Create a space just for you
This can literally be a corner of a room, a seat on the sofa, a desk, or your bed - there are no rules of what defines your space, just whatever makes you feel comfortable. Next, add the things that make it feel like home - favorite books, LED lights, memorable photos, a scented candle, soothing white noise, art supplies, etc. After work, try to spend at least a few minutes in your space to recharge and simply be. In that time, however short or long it may seem, ease into this space in which you aren't asked of anything, you don't have to do anything, and you don't have to be anything but who you are in that moment.
Step away from screens
You're spending a LOT of time at your computer doing research, completing assignments, and conversing with peers and professors. It's easy to lose track of exactly how much time you've spent sitting and to let the day slip by just like that. Schedule time to be away from your screen in the form of a daily walk, exercise, phone call, meal prep session, or any other hobby. You'll give your eyes, head, and soul a much-needed refueling.
Find one activity on campus you love
Find one club or organization on campus you can really get behind, something that truly makes you happy. When school gets monotonous, you'll have that to lean on and help you power through. You'll also have a second community to truly express yourself with, which can help to forge great friendships for the future.
Nurture your relationships
Keep your loved ones close. When the going gets tough, it's their interactions that keep us going. Whoever they may be, try to keep regular contact as much as possible. Schedule weekly calls, hangouts, dinners, coffee dates - anything that gets you together. Try switching it up when you have more time to city visits, art sessions, museum tours, and yoga classes for fun.
Here's the bottom line - make time for you and what you love. Work will always be there, and it shouldn't prevent you from living a well-rounded life rooted in the people, places, and things that make you feel complete. Stand up for yourself and what makes you happy, and chances are your fulfillment will take you farther than you thought.
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