How to build a routine for yourself: The Student Edit

The main reason this post is a little later than usual is for the reason that I didn't want to sound like the biggest hypocrite out there.

Since coming home from uni last week, my 'routine' has consisted of sleeping anywhere between 5 and 13 hours a night; eating whenever I feel like it; fuelling myself with soy iced lattes I can't really afford - correction, really can't afford - and just generally hurling any sort of routine I SHOULD have out the window into the lovely sunny garden I've been using as procrastination.

I've decided then, that as of next Tuesday (because bank holidays are official days of hangovers; we all know this) that I'm going to get back into a routine and recognise that I actually have exam prep to do. There's something about coming home from uni that makes it even harder. I think it's the fact we finally worked out how to live our own independent lives and suddenly we have family plans to keep to or work plans if you're like every student who's loan doesn't drop until AFTER the Easter holidays... *single tear falls* Your sleeping pattern is a complete mess, your parents think you're just nocturnal at this point, and you know that after you've finally got used to home life again, you'll be back to uni in a week or two for exams and revision...so this is for all us students who need a bit of help getting themselves together, myself included.

{If you're already revising - aka A level students - keep going it's not long left and uni is so worth it. You've got this and I hope this helps.}

1. Sort your sleeping pattern (harder than it sounds)

The only way I've managed this is to just gradually let it go back to normal. Get up a little earlier so you're more tired and go to bed a little earlier. Aka instead of sleeping from 3 am till 11 am, try 1 am till 9 am. Don't sleep for more than 8 hours unless you need it!! I sound like such a mum but honestly believe me. I'm not saying get out of bed at 9 am every day but wake up at this time and you'll feel like you have so much more energy. I don't believe in the myth that "lie ins are bad at you" though. MAKE THE MOST OF WEEKENDS - especially if you only got in at 4 am which has bank holiday weekend written all over it.

2. Wake up to music

*The circle of life comes in dramatically*

I'm really upset there isn't a way to start playing music when you reach a certain point in reading - wouldn't that be perfect. This is my no.1 hack to being able to get out of bed and get on with your day though. Everyday, my alarm goes off and before I check messages, before I even think about social media I throw on my 'Wake Up' playlist and get going. You've got to have a god damn good playlist though - here's some morning proof ones from mine all linked just for you...

Florence and the Machine: Dog Days Are Over

Jordan Mackampa: What Could Have Been

Scouting for Girls: Elvis Ain't Dead

Circa Waves: T-Shirt Weather

KAWALA: Do It Like You Do

Vistas: Calm

Mahalia: Honeymoon

Joe Hertz: SWIMMING (JNTHN STEIN REMIX)

Dennis Lloyd: Nevermind

3. Never skip breakfast

THE. MOST. IMPORTANT. MEAL. OF. THE. DAY. I'm screaming that at myself because I've had an iced coffee instead of breakfast twice this week and I need to stop myself. Make the most out of it though. If you're at home, make the time to make a bacon sarnie or a really good yoghurt and granola bowl that you can Snapchat away to people. If you're at uni and you don't have the luxury of a nice clean kitchen (in comparison to a uni flat one anyway) then there are always easy options. Quick fried egg on toast? Bagel and peanut butter, jam, nutella, all three?? Or treat yourself and buy it on the way into town and feel like a pro who has their life together and can treat themselves to an apricot and granola pot from the co-op. Live that high life people.

4. SNACKS

Always important but more so when you're trying to function for a whole day without napping. Almost every person I know who's come back from uni has told me they can barely can through a day without a nap. I can agree. The first couple days I was back I crashed from about 4 till 6 every day and then, of course, I couldn't go to sleep at a normal time and bye bye a decent sleeping pattern. MAKE yourself stay awake - use the power of snacking. I eat 4 or 5 meals a day anyway at uni but at home breakfast, lunch and dinner at a normal time is normal so instead, I snack. I don't mean go and buy six multi-packs of KitKats (overrated in my unpopular opinion) but have a bagel with some peanut butter and a banana or hummus and literally ANYTHING. A smoothie? Some cake? Whatever suits your body best. It was my sister's birthday last week so my norm became chocolate cake...no complaints from me.

5. Keep some sort of diary

(No, not a Bridget Jones all men are trash type diary...the ones you buy in Tesco, the 2019 type)

Boys, I can already feel you cringing at this so I will provide you with the option of using your phone calender - but use it properly! I recently synced my exam timetable to my Google calender and its magical my phone just tells me where I need to be or what to do. What's important here though is to plan your days. On a Sunday evening in bed I always just grab my diary and write everything I'm doing, or PLAN on doing and it makes getting yourself a routine sorted and prioritising SO much easier, even if you don't do it all. Also, it's an excuse to buy a gorg diary...

6. Make the time to make yourself feel good in the morning

Don't get me wrong, some days dragging yourself to a lecture in sports leggings and the same sweatshirt you've worn all week is allowed and perfectly acceptable but you never feel good or organised or with it when you feel like you're barely keeping up with yourself. It's a well known 'thing' that if you make yourself feel better through looking better, you'll feel better about what you're doing. Whether that's with makeup, a nice outfit or, in my case, making sure I leave the house with my rings and my necklace on or I feel naked.

7. Get OUT

My routine always dies a death when I stay in and try to work or tell myself I'll get up and do things in my own house. I don't know about you but I need the motivation to walk or drive somewhere to get up and get going. If you're studying, go to a coffee shop or a library if you have the patience for silence (I don't). If you're working from home, go for a walk or make plans around your work. Plan to meet up with people in the afternoon so you get up and have a certain amount of time to work - give yourself a goal and just GET OUT THE HOUSE. Especially if it's sunny - and yes, the garden counts if you want to sunbatheee.

Right, I'm going to get out of bed now and enjoy my last weekend before I start all of this up again. I'll post this again on Insta Monday night to be a pain and remind you all of my wise (ish) words. At least I'm not kidding you all into thinking my life is completely together but we've all gotta help ourselves right?

Have a lovely bank holiday guys

XXX

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