Oh the joys of free time.
Some students loathe it—thinking, “if I have down time, I’m doing something wrong!” Others love it, the only thing wrong about it is if their daily nap gets interrupted. So what do you do on the off chance that you have some wiggle room in your schedule?
Here are a few things to try if you haven’t already:
1) Naps are far from overrated. You haven’t lived in college until you’ve taken a true nap—a deep sleep, middle of the day, nap to give you a boost and revive you!
2) Read a book, and not for class! Reading in your free time with an actual book that you choose can be invigorating. You get so much more into because it’s something you wanted and no one told you to do it. Try it at least once. It makes you feel like a mature student—no one has to know that you did it but I can assure you it will feel great!
3) Cook. Real food. The food on campus can be okay when you’re really hungry, or maybe you like it all the time. But once in awhile take a break from the dining hall and make something special—the microwave can work wonders, and if you’re lucky enough to have a full kitchen, that’s even better! Invite your friends to the lounge, or over to your house and try out a new recipe. It can double as a fun night activity and also a way to eat—both are important!
4) Reorganize your room. I know, I know, not the most fun thing to do in the world, but at this point in the semester you almost need to! You start off with a clean room and everything in its place, but as the semester gets busier, your organization slips. Take an afternoon and check yourself—spruce up your desk, your room, or even your closet. Once you do, you’ll feel ready for anything!
5) Try something new! Go explore! See a show, go out to dinner, and visit a museum! It doesn’t matter where you go to school, there is something out there that you haven’t done before, and have maybe always wanted to try! Search the Internet, or check with your activities office. Broaden your horizons. It will make the free time you do have seem more worth it!
Whether you have oodles of free time, or barely enough to breathe, make sure you’re filling it with real things—whether they are to relax you, or just to have fun. You deserve it!