#post req

Thank you babe!!  

I think the biggest thing that helped me eat healthy in college was going vegetarian -- dining hall meat is questionable, and there are a lot more processed options in general. There are ofc still lots of processed veggie foods (i love me a good soy nugget) but I’ve found they’re easier to avoid. 

In general, I try not to keep too much junk food in the house -- I always keep a pint of ice cream in the freezer and I’ll have a frozen pizza on hand for nights when I’m just really not feeling like cooking. When I’m really craving something sweet I’ll treat myself by going out for boba with friends or something like that.

I have a few go-to meals that I rotate through so I don’t have to spend too much time coming up with ideas. I don’t always eat super healthy, but cooking at home makes me feel better than frozen food or eating out. Find some easy recipes you love that you can fall back on. 

Here’s what a typical week of dinners looked like for me last semester:

M: Dinner with roommates (usually pasta)  T: Gnocchi and brussels sprouts  W: Burrito bowl (rice, beans, corn, cheese) T: Veggie fajitas (squash, zucchini, bell peppers) F: Eat out with friends 

None of my dinners took more than 15 minutes to make, and I would put on some nice jazz and dance around which gave me a nice little break from homework. 

I make a smoothie with greek yogurt every morning, and I always carried Clif bars in my backpack since I had a late lunch break. For lunch I would almost always have leftovers, or grab a bagel on campus if I forgot lunch. If I was home for lunch I’d make a quesadilla, acai bowl or avocado toast.

For the none food stuff -- set strict work boundaries. I never work while I eat -- that’s reserved for talking with friends, watching a show, or staring into space. I stop working an hour or so before bed so I have time to shower, do some yoga and relax. Make sure you’re making time for friends and hobbies. Spending an extra hour studying for that test isn’t going to help as much as an extra hour of sleep will. 

The first summer I tried to get an internship I didn’t get one -- I was in a major I was unhappy in so I just wasn’t passionate about what I was applying for. 

I switched majors, joined clubs, started working really hard and accomplished some things I was really proud of. I also got close to my professors which helped for references. In general I was more excited about the internships I was applying for, so I worked harder on my cover letters and applied to more (in my field it’s kind of a numbers game because there aren’t a ton of openings). 

In the end I got a pretty competitive internship on Capitol Hill and it was amazing. Everyone was so supportive, the work was fun, and I really learned a lot about what I want to do for a career. 

Every field is different on how internships work, so talk to your professors! They’ll have suggestions and may even have friends who are hiring. 

Learn to write a killer cover letter and personalize it for every job. 

Make your resume with a program like Canva so it look professional but stands out. 

Make a spreadsheet and keep track of deadlines (bold the ones you really want so you don’t miss them), what you’ve applied for, and eventually which ones you’ve heard back from

Share resources with friends! We would all swap spreadsheets and I found some great openings that way. 

Think outside the box -- my internship wasn’t one I had originally thought of (I found it while helping my friend in another major look) but it ended up being perfect for me

Don’t get discouraged! It will take way longer to hear back than you expect it to but that’s totally normal 

Coping mechanisms: 

Building a support system is so important. There were days I was so overwhelmed and stressed but sitting down and talking to a friend for ten minutes would make it all seem more doable. The best part of college was getting to have my friends with me in every part of my life, instead of just hanging out once a week like I did in high school.

Really prioritize relationships -- it’s easy to get busy with work and not make time for friends, but you’ll be so much more stressed if you do. If you’re studying in the library, shoot a text to a friend and ask them to join. If you need to go to the mall for a new pair of jeans, invite some friends to come along. Grocery store runs can be just as much fun as movie nights. Start a weekly routine of making dinner with your friends on a certain night. 

Living with roommates:

Communication really is so important. Letting them know when something bothers you (nicely, ofc) will let them know it’s okay for them to do the same. Sit down and discuss ground rules -- your RA will probably require you to do this anyway -- and be honest about what you need from each other to make your room and healthy space. 

The first week or so will be awkward. You’re living in a tiny room with a total stranger. They’ll feel a little weird too. But that was such a growing experience for me and now I honestly have a lot less social anxiety because I learned to live with a little bit of awkwardness. Don’t worry about messing up, because you probably will, but as long and you’re open and honest with each other it’s no big deal. Apologize and learn from it. Everyone makes mistakes in every kind of relationship, and being roommates is no different. In a couple years you’ll be laughing about the time you accidentally drank all their fancy kombucha. 

thanks for the suggestions!! i’ll defs add these to my list :)

I have some posts about getting ready for the start of school here and here x