How do you romanticize your life for $1?
Let’s take a minute to reflect… What does a realistic day in your college life look like? I’ll start first. I wake up, pray, scroll on TikTok for an endless amount of time, get dressed for class, and I may eat breakfast if I remember because we’re so busy right? Then I meet up with my friends sometimes, go to work, study, and then I proceed to get ready for bed to start the same cycle over the next day. From the outside looking in, it may seem like I have a productive life, but even though I’m doing these things to set up a successful future, we sometimes forget to take time for ourselves in the present.
I’ve started this new thing called “Self Care Sundays” and it means exactly what it says. I choose Sundays because it provides me with the relief and relaxation I deserve from the long week I’ve endured and it allows me to have a fresh start to take on the new week. Listed below are some budget-friendly things I like to do to treat myself. All items can be found at The Dollar Tree which is a store that sells everything for only $1.
Mani/Pedi
The feeling of freshly painted nails, a new set of acrylics, the intense massages from pedicure chairs, or the hot towels wrapped around your legs after a pedicure is the vibe we all may want, but as college students, we may not be able to afford it. So, here is a list of budget-friendly items to pick from the Dollar Tree for a DIY mani/pedi in your dorm or apartment:
- Press on nails
- Manicure Set
- Dove hand cream
- Nail polish remover
- Cotton balls
Facial
Staying up late to study comes with both good and bad consequences. The good consequence is that you may ace your exam, but on the other hand, you may experience sleep deprivation which can lead to puffy eyes or dull skin. Here are the items that you can get for a DIY facial:
- Eye and lip mask
- Freeman face mask
Bubble Bath/Foot Soak
Maybe your feet hurt from walking around campus or maybe your body is just drained from always being on the go. A bubble bath or a foot soak for those who live in dorms and don’t have access to a tub is something that I enjoy. I would suggest picking up these items:
- Lavender bubble bath
- Foot Epsom Salt
- Candle
I challenge you to continue to work hard and set yourself up for the future, but I would also encourage you to not forget to take care of yourself in the present and incorporate self-care days into your routine.
WRITTEN BY
Ayanna Williams
Troy University
Ayanna Williams is a former BLACC extern for Macmillan Learning and a student at Troy University who enjoys traveling and analyzing R&B music videos from the late '90s and early 2000s. She is also ambidextrous and she thinks that is the greatest asset to her love of writing.
