College can be stressful, no matter what time of year, but let’s face it – everyone knows that April is the most stressful month of all. We have officially hit that time when you and everyone you know have two tests on the same day, three papers due in the same week, not to mention we have to register for our next semester classes, we need to start studying for finals, and oh yeah, we’re all scrambling to find summer jobs or internships.
There seems to never be enough hours in the day to get what we need to get done, which means that there definitely isn’t any time leftover for us. Well I’m here to say enough. Skipping out on self-care is never okay. “Me-time” is so so important, especially during the stressful times. How can we perform our best if we don’t feel our best?
So, the other day I had a (spare!) hour and instead of spending it watching Netflix I decided to run some errands and buy some things to treat myself with. While I was shopping I picked up these goodies and came up with five easy and affordable ways to treat yourself in college…
- Drink more water
The Target dollar spot is one of my holy grails when it comes to shopping in college. I’m constantly ballin’ on a budget and can’t afford real people items. However, the dollar spot usually knows whats up. I found this super cute water bottle that says “OH, YEAH” on it, as in “OH, YEAH I’m going to the gym. If by to go the gym you mean walk through it to meet the Domino’s guy in the lobby.” Just kidding. I’m starting out April 2017 with the goal of doing something good for my body every single day. Whether that be the gym, ab workouts, eating something healthy, etc. And one of those things is my promise to drink more water. Water is so so important, even though I usually only drink water when they’re out of Diet Coke, but whatever. Anyway. I think having a cute water bottle can change how much you drink, and so therefore, I picked up this cute little thing. Start drinking more water and you’ll be shocked at the results!
2. Skincare
You may think this is a no brainer, but I’m sure we are all guilty of slackin’ on our skin routine every now and again, myself included. When this happens it’s easy to fall out of the swing of things, so it’s important to make sure you do everything you can to keep that from happening. It’s taken me a while but I’m finally in the habit of actually taking off my mascara and eyeliner every day so my eyelids can breathe. After a makeup remover wipe, I wash my face every night with my fave Clean & Clear face wash. But sometimes, our faces can use a little extra TLC, and that’s why I bought a Freeman Beauty overnight face mask! You can choose from multiple different kinds, like foaming, polishing, exfoliating, etc. However, the Honeydew and Chamomile Sleeping mask is my favorite, because, sleep, duh. You put it on before bed, sleep on it, and wake up with your skin feeling refreshed and hydrated.
Also, our faces aren’t the only skin we should be paying attention to! Have you ever noticed your hands getting dry? Maybe due to the weather, or a few minutes after a shower? Moisturizing is so important, and it can double as a self-spa night! The Ulta brand, “Soap & Glory” has one of my favorite go-to lotions, The Righteous Butter. It smells like a combination of mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, and strawberry, and it’s SO soft!! However, another good brand I like is The Body Shop!
3. Try a New Scent
One of the best parts of my bedroom is that it always smells good. I’m kind of crazy about always lighting a candle and making sure it smells amazing. If I walk in my room and can’t smell the remains of my last burning session I light the candle again. I absolutely love it. And Target just got a new brand of candles, called Sincerely Me, and I couldn’t wait to buy one. Some of the scents, not going to lie, were not my fave. But pineapple meringue, yum!! Sign. Me. Up. I already lit in my room and I am obsessed.
4. Pampering
What better way to treat yourself than to treat yourself? I am a sucker for having nice painted nails but only when I have the time. I don’t spend the money to get them done at the salon so it can sometimes be up in the air when my nails will next look nice. However, while I was at Ulta yesterday I found Essie nail polish on sale, and I just had to get it. This “Sexy Plunge” orange is so cute, it’s perfect for the spring/summer season we are approaching quickly. The website calls it a “candy shimmer”, I can’t wait to try it out!
5. Relaxing
This is probably the biggest one. When things get intense and schedules get busy, it’s important to take some time to stop, take a break, and relax. Now, everyone has their own favorite way of doing this, but mine is taking a bubble bath. It’s no secret that bath bombs are essential to these, so after taking multiple baths with just regular “bubble bath,” I decided to buy a bath bomb and see what all the hype is about. I know that I need a Lush bath bomb to get the full experience, but we don’t have one anywhere near Tuscaloosa, so for now I’m just going to have to wait. However, Ulta carries a brand called Fizz and Bubble and their bath bombs are only $6, so I decided to give it a shot. I read the reviews online and they were all very positive. I chose Watermelon, because I’m a sucker for pink and I couldn’t wait to watch the water turn color. I also love the fruity smell so I was hoping it would be just what it sounded like. The reviews said it would be extremely soft and moisturizing, as it contains an 8-oil blend!! It definitely smelled fruity and it was super moisturizing. However, it did leave a little bit of pink in my tub so if you buy a Fizz and Bubble bath bomb, be prepared to do a little scrubbing afterward. Anyway, in my opinion, to really have an out of this world bubble bath, I recommend three extra things: 1. A candle (Target!!) 2. A glass of wine (For white, Moscato or Chablis, for red, Merlot!!!! Or for some extra bubbly fun, maybe try a glass of champagne!) 3. A good book. (And the Heart says Whatever, by Emily Gould, Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham, Milk & Honey by Rupi Kaur.)
I hope these tips have inspired you to enjoy some me-time this week. I promise you it will be worth it! What are your favorite ways to unwind? Comment below!!
Happy Pampering!
xoxo,
JM
