Alice Vol. 4 No. 1

By Annie Hollon
Your college years are a chance at selfdiscovery
and reinvention, whether it be in your
interests and style choices or your outlook on life
and identity. Change can be difficult for anyone,
but it does not have to be drastic. Here are small
steps you can take to build a better you.
PRIORITIZE YOUR Z’S
Pulling all-nighters for assignments or that
new Netflix series you want to binge will not do
your health any good. Take the time to establish
a sound sleep schedule.
Matthew Cribbet, assistant professor of
psychology at The University of Alabama,
studies sleep and the impact it has on teenagers
and young adults. When it comes to a lack of
sleep in young adults, Cribbet said there is an
“epidemic” in this country around not valuing
the importance of sleep.
“We know that [a lack of sleep] really impacts
academic performance, standardized test scores,
attention,” Cribbet said.“It could even impact
things like driving or athletic performance or
musical or concert performances.”
If closing your eyes and counting sheep
does not cut it for you, find some alternative
sleep-promoting practices to help you drift to
dreamland. A popular tip is to avoid using your
phone or computer within a few hours of going to
sleep or to adjust the brightness on your devices to
make the transition easier. Avoiding caffeinated
drinks late in the afternoon and making it a point
to focus on relaxation are also great sleep habits.
Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple
Music recommend late night music playlists to
help you wind down, and if none of those suit
you, curate your own nighttime playlist to ease
The
you into a good
Snowbird
night’s sleep.
LEARN TO SAY “NO”
Simple as it may sound, learning to say
“no” is one change you can make to almost
instantly improve your quality of life. As an
addition to your vocabulary, “no” allows you to
set and measure your own limitations and take
the reins on your personal welfare. Let this be
your way of establishing your limits for those
around you to respect. The reactions may not
be great from some, but those who truly respect
you will accept “no” as a reasonable response.
Begrudgingly going out with your friends when
you had every intention to rest and study is
not worth sacrificing your right to say “no” and
your sense of autonomy, so don’t fall prey to
peer pressure.
Saying “no” can be intimidating at first. If
you are not one for confrontation and assertive
statements, synonymous sentences that carry
the same meaning but more gently may be the
right choice for you. A “maybe later” or “I can’t
right now” can be just as good as “no.” This all
centers back to prioritizing you as opposed to
the satisfaction of those around you.
SPREAD POSITIVE ENERGY
Even if you are feeling at your worst and
would love nothing more than to shut the world
out for a bit, make an effort to treat others
with kindness.
Sharing the love can be a simple task that
takes seconds. It can be as easy as sharing a
funny post with someone that reminds you
of or replying to your friend’s subtweet with
words of encouragement. Taking the time to
greet someone you have not talked to in a while
will make their day a bit brighter. Spreading
uplifting energy to others will reciprocate in you
and those who surround you.
Alice Winter 2019 31