Having down-time is without a doubt one of the most crucial aspects of university, and I’m not talking about JUST taking a break from coursework, I’m talking about actual you time.
The further I get into my degree, the busier my life becomes, and this definitely takes a huge toll on me mentally – I’m sure I’m not alone in this. From coursework and assignments, to sports clubs, societies, work experience, volunteering, seeing family, hanging out with friends, being in a relationship and part-time jobs, life can get very hectic very fast.
So here are some ways that I find helpful for my brain to relax, and hopefully they might help/inspire you too.
Walking
It’s no secret that I am a big walker. Being in the mountaineering club has definitely kept me sane since coming to university, but clubs can be socially draining and often feel like another thing to do with weekly meetings and activities.
I walk to university every day, but that couple of kilometres on the way to my tasks for the day isn’t exactly relaxing, so I have started walking after my classes and taking longer ways home. I have also started taking some night-time walks with my friend, and these are incredibly de-stressing.
The evening/late night has become my favourite time of day to walk, however being a young woman, I tend to choose not to walk alone at night, this is when a good friend with a calming presence can really make the week feel less heavy while also staying safe.
Baking/Arts & Crafts
Baking is wonderfully relaxing, and something I would personally consider to be a craft. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has seen the videos online joking about how angry you can be when baking – but it truly is a tremendous outlet for stress.
Simply just by popping your favourite playlist on (or my go-to, a heavy metal one) and making some cupcakes, your stress can dissipate quicker than one might think.
I also enjoy painting rocks, do with that what you will. In all seriousness, my friend got me onto rock painting when we were in high school and I love it. You can literally paint anything, I’m not quite up to the artistic standards of my very talented friend, but you could draw a squiggle and it would still be relaxing.
Reading and Writing
I understand that sometimes reading for fun when you have millions of articles and book chapters to read for every module can seem somewhat redundant and like another task on the pile of ones you already have.
However, reading anything can be relaxing; books, websites, blogs, articles or newspapers (yes I know, the irony of self-promotion isn’t lost on me) – but my point is, reading can be fun!
I have tried to read every genre under the sun thinking that I had to enjoy reading them just because it was reading, and not a type of reading. Personally I enjoy adventure, auto/biographies, romance (sometimes) and deep-thinking books. Once you find your niche of what you like to read, it instantly becomes fun.
Featured image credit: Amelia Fryer
