By Claire Latsko | Co-Editor-In-Chief
For most people on campus, the past two weeks have been even more stressful than usual with the mid-semester barrage of exams and essays. After staying up till all hours, reading and re-reading books, writing too many paragraphs for your brain to handle, creating a stack of study notecards, and wishing you had a photographic memory, you probably need to take a step back to regroup and take some steps toward self-care. If midterms got the best of you, then here a few recommendations to #TreatYoSelf before the stress of finals hits.
1. Go out to dinner
When in doubt, go to Diego’s…or Gas Lamp…or Brick Alley. Bring your friends. Order a bunch of food. Get some margs, a beer, or a glass of wine or two if you’re over 21. Celebrate your good grades, or even your bad ones! Every moment calls for a good meal, and getting off campus for a few hours is always a good thing to do every once in a while. If one of the downtown restaurants is out of your price range, then hit up the late night menu at Wakehurst because they have some solid options (mozzarella triangles, Philly cheesesteak egg rolls, jalapeño poppers, chicken wings, and more!) that are perfect for snacking.
2.Do some yoga/meditating
You don’t have to be a dedicated yogi to try out some simple yoga poses. A few sun salutations in the morning are a great way to start your day with a fresh mind and relaxed muscles. If that’s not your thing then find a comfy spot to close your eyes and meditate for 10 minutes. Taking a few moments just to breathe will keep you feeling peaceful as opposed to hectic. Repeating a simple, positive mantra throughout the day can help keep your mind at ease too.
3. Have a Harry Potter movie marathon (or binge your favorite show)
Nothing makes me feel like snuggling up on the couch and having some chill time like a Harry Potter sesh. Freeform seems to think that every weekend is Harry Potter Weekend, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to binge the entire series without having all the DVDs. If Harry Potter isn’t your thing then load up Netflix or Hulu and binge the crap out of your favorite show. You’ve got over a year until the final season of Game of Thrones airs, so you might as well start re-watching now, right?
4. Take a good nap
Go ahead. You definitely deserve it after staying up until 3 a.m. to cram every definition and theory into your head for your tests. Your bed is definitely the best spot for a restorative snooze, but if your roommates are being too loud I definitely recommend one of the Wakehurst couches (trust me, they’re really comfy). Make time to get enough sleep or your body won’t be able to function properly!
5. Get outside and enjoy the autumn weather
If you’ve spent one too many hours in the confines of the third floor of the library, you definitely need to get outside for some fresh air. Rally up your friends for a hike on the Cliff Walk or take a ride down Ocean Drive with all the windows down. If it’s not too cold at night you can go have a bonfire on the beach! Take a deep breath of fall air and enjoy the last rays of sunshine before winter takes over Newport.
