Hello, I hope everyone is well and feeling good going into the Fall semester! It is always an adjustment to re-gear one’s mindset going back to school and I will admit, while I am super excited for my classes and to be back on campus, I have been struggling with quite a bit of anxiety as I prepare myself. But this may be a great opportunity to outline my goals for the Fall.
My biggest goal going forward is committing to taking more care of myself. Life can be overwhelming at times and the added stress of school, however positive, can create a situation where eating right, sleeping well, and paying attention to one’s emotional wellbeing is a key component to a successful school year.
A few practical steps I can take will be to make sure I devote time in my busy schedule to eating regularly and avoiding the easy foods I tend to fall back on. I anticipate feeling less sluggish and more alert in class should I get into the habit of packing healthy snacks rather than shoveling as much Burger King into my face in the commuter parking lot.
Another important goal I have set for myself is to make sure I am giving myself the proper amount of time to be well rested. With the majority of my classes this semester being night classes or early morning meetings, I know I will feel more productive and less overwhelmed if I maintain a healthy sleeping schedule or even create a plan for a daytime nap. This will also help me to eat better as a well planned schedule means I can avoid super late night snacks moments before I attempt to sleep. I want to give my all to this semester and feeling awake and alert will set me up to do my best work.
Last but not least, I want to make sure I am aware of how I am coping emotionally as I begin my final undergraduate year. It is bittersweet to have this part of my life begin to come to a close, and there are still quite a few stresses I need to address, but I have been learning to become more comfortable with personal affirmations recently and, while it seems a bit corny, I plan to actively tell myself, at the end of a good day, that I am proud of myself. And at the end of a day where I have regrets or feel like I could have done better, I will remember not to beat myself up but learn from whatever I counted as a loss that day. I will also tell myself I am proud of myself for getting through the harder days because I know if I am doing the best I can that I still accomplish something that day.
I know it can be dauntingly optimistic to go into a semester with too many goals, like New Year’s resolutions, they can feel lofty and easy to break, but I believe I am giving myself the most reasonable goals I can to set myself up for success. It is always easier said than done but I know I can make this semester great if I work hard, no only in school, but for the betterment of my person.
I’ve included the mask below because it sums up how I am feeling today- old, tired, a little sad, but I have a lot to look forward to in the next few months and I will be curious to see how this mask will change come December. Good luck to you all and see ya soon!
What’s Playing- I have recently stumbled on the instrumental piano playlists on my Spotify and I have found them to be exceptionally helpful in creating an environment where I feel calm and relaxed but generally not deeply influenced by lyrics or memories of an old song. If piano music isn’t your speed, Spotify and YouTube have plenty of playlists of any instrument you can think of. Explore and find your moment of musical Zen this week.
