By Brianna Brinker, Staff Writer
As college students, life can pass us by in a rush when we are focused on our daily routines.
In the middle of trying to balance our course load, sports, clubs, jobs, and friends, it’s easy for us to go through our day-to-day without taking a minute to appreciate where we are and what’s around us. Sometimes, we go through the process of things without truly living at the moment.
Living at the moment allows us to appreciate the gifts we have all around us. So, it is always important to remember that we should pay close attention to the simple daily moments we experience and be grateful for them.
For example, enjoying a hot cup of coffee from the dining hall, which keeps you awake and makes you feel warm and cozy inside, or going to Benedict’s with your best friends and enjoying the time you have with them before class. Any time spent with loved ones is so special, even if it’s just a quick coffee in between classes.
Playing your dream sport with your teammates, embracing a home run, and celebrating with your team. Those are moments like that we will miss.
Even pursuing your major to go on to your aspired career can be very special, it might seem like a burden when your homework is piling up, and you’re studying for hours on end but embrace this time of learning because it will all be worth it in the end.
Visits from your family members are another thing that makes our life more special. If you have people who come visit you, count yourself blessed because, although it seems upsetting that you only can see them for a short amount of time, not everyone has people who care about them.
Tamar Olguin Alzate, a junior majoring in clinical psychology says, “Finding beauty in the ordinary moments of college life is all about appreciating the little things, like the sunlight streaming through the library as I study, or the quiet early morning walks to class when the campus is still waking up.”
There is so much to be grateful for. As we go through our days, embrace the ordinary things that you would not normally think about.
Here are some ways you can take your ordinary activities of life and romanticize them.
Make your class notes colorful, take all your colorful pens and make your notes organized but creative. This will make taking notes more efficient, keep you more focused on the material, and makes it easier to study your notes, as well.
We all walk to our classes every single day, but instead of dreading it, make it more exciting.
Grab some headphones and play your favorite songs. Listening to music can be calming and makes everything around you feel like a movie. Another tip for your walks is to pick a color and try to find things that match that color on your way to class. Color walks are shown to help with anxiety.
Plan a night with your friends. College friends are such a blessing to have, so instead of doing what you would normally do with them, switch it up. Host a movie night, coloring night, or baking night. Doing something different creates a new memory for all of you to hold on to.
Getting ready for your day can feel like a chore but if you change your mindset, it can be really fun. If you style and hand pick pieces you love, it gives you a boost of confidence because you feel comfortable in what you are wearing. Listen to music and make getting ready in the morning something you look forward to.
Gratefulness is key to romanticizing your life. Hold on to all the experiences we get to live out, the people we get to meet, and the life we get to live. Remember to always appreciate those ordinary things you do every day and embrace them, make them exciting! Live your life to the fullest, create moments you won’t forget, and hold on to that gratitude.
