With the academic year nearing its end, you’ve probably unconsciously developed tons of habits to get you through to finals season. While some have been beneficial, others are quite the opposite. To help you distinguish between the two, here’s a list of habits that must not be packed in your suitcase back home.
All-nighters
Although summer means you’ll have a lot more flexibility in your schedule, that doesn’t justify staying up until dawn. Take your time away from school to build a healthy sleeping schedule for yourself. You’ll be thanking yourself when August comes around. But you’re not the only one who’ll be happy. Your roommate will sleep much better now that your alarm isn’t constantly ringing because you’re unable to wake up to hit snooze.
Ramen noodle diet
When we refer to the excessive ramen affinity you’ve acquired during college, we’re not talking about your splurges at Ippudo or Marufuku. Their less extravagant cousin, instant ramen noodles, are delicious in their own right and are much better for a college student’s wallet. However, you may be guilty of eating a few more packages than you’d like to admit this semester. There’s no better time than now to ditch the heavy sodium diet for healthier alternatives.
Hours on social media
With Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat flooding your notifications, use your summer to finally cleanse yourself from it all. Constantly scrolling through social media takes up more time in your day than you’d like to imagine. All those hours spent staring into your phone, only to learn what Kylie Jenner lip kit is going on sale this weekend or which rapper has a new episode on “Sneaker Shopping” will, ultimately, leave you unsatisfied. Instead, pick up a fun read that you’ve been letting collect dust.
Juuling
The college experience of the millennium has changed in many ways, and unfortunately, the Juul is one of them. This flash drive-resembling device is more addictive than it lets on to be, with heaps of students puffing away on the daily. If you haven’t lost your Juul at a party yet or flushed it down the toilet in a bid to go viral, use your vacation to adopt beneficial ways of releasing stress. Try meditating, finding a new hobby or heading down to the beach to escape the temptation.
Not exercising
Your excuse throughout the semester for a lack of exercise may have sufficed with your classes taking up the bulk of your schedule. However, those excuses can no longer hold in the summer months. While it may be initially hard to become acquainted with an exercise routine, don’t become unmotivated. Start simple, and work your way up to harder exercises.
College is truly a learning experience, even when you find yourself outside the classroom setting. Breaking the unfavorable habits you’ve formed throughout the year can be challenging, but the summer serves as an ample period of time to start making some instrumental changes.
