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The second half of semester can sometimes feel a little repetitive. Your days are starting to feel like a continuous cycle of lectures, assignments, work, study and sleep. The excitement of a new semester has worn off, your to-do list keeps growing and suddenly every week starts to look the same.
While there’s nothing wrong with having a routine, sometimes a small change can give you a fresh burst of energy. You don’t need to completely scrap your routine. Just try adding something new, doing something just for fun or making more time for the things that help you feel like yourself outside of uni.
Get moving in a way you actually enjoy
Exercise doesn’t have to mean spending an hour at the gym. Finding a physical activity you genuinely enjoy can be a great way to break up your study routine and get your body moving.
Try a social sport at Curtin Stadium, join a group fitness class, go for a walk around campus or challenge your friends to a friendly game. Curtin offers a range of sport and recreation opportunities for different interests and experience levels, including social sport and free programs for students. You can check them out [here].
Not a sporty person? That’s okay. The goal isn’t to become an athlete, it’s simply to find a way to move that feels good for you.
Insert fun in your calendar
When your calendar is filled with classes, work shifts and assessment deadlines, it can be easy for the things you enjoy to disappear from it.
So, give yourself something to look forward to. Check out what’s happening on campus, go to an event you’ve never attended, catch up with a friend or explore something happening around Perth. Something as simple as grabbing coffee with a friend between classes can give your week a different rhythm.
Change your scenery
Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to break out from your routine.
Instead of going to your usual study spot, try a different part of campus. Grab lunch somewhere you haven’t been before. Find a new café with a friend. Take a different route home.
Pick up an old hobby or try a new one
When uni gets busy, hobbies are often one of the first things we put aside.
Think about something you used to enjoy before semester got hectic. Maybe it’s gaming, baking, photography, reading, drawing, playing music or going to the gym.
Or try something completely new. You don’t have to be good at it. Learning something simply because you’re curious can be a nice change from spending your days working towards grades and deadlines.
Make time for your people
Your university experience isn’t just about what happens in the classroom.
Make time to catch up with friends, call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while, or join a club. Having people to share your week with can make university feel more enjoyable and connected.
And if you haven’t found your people yet, that’s okay too. You can start small by saying yes to an event, introducing yourself to someone in your class or trying a new student activity happening on campus.
Refreshing your routine doesn’t mean filling every spare moment with another activity. In fact, you might only need one small change.
Try asking yourself: What would make this week feel a little different? Sometimes, a little change in the middle of semester is enough to help you get out of a slump.
Looking for more ways to get involved? Check out what’s happening around Curtin and explore the activities, events and programs available to students here.
