I spent a week romanticising my student life in Liverpool and this is how it went

Oh second semester, how we all love you. The cold weather doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, your heating is kicking in for just one hour a day, and nothing seems harder than living your best life as a student in Liverpool at the minute.

With the sun only just starting to set at 5pm, and the only city sights you’re seeing every day are Smithdown Road and the gloomy walls of the Sydney Jones, it’s easy to fall into a bit of a slump. We can’t let ourselves forget that Liverpool is actually pretty nice most of the time, even when it’s pouring with rain, so last week I decided to make a bit more of an effort and romanticise my life in the beautiful city that we live in. 

The deadline mountain and queue outside the Gregg’s on Brownlow Hill are getting a little bit too intense for me, so shifting my mindset for a week definitely sounded like the way forward. It felt like I should’ve been making some kind of aesthetically pleasing montage TikTok of every moment of my week but hey, we all have to start somewhere.

Here’s how I got on last week, romanticising the little things and trying to think positively about splashing half my student loan on oat lattes and waiting hours for a 699 to actually turn up.

Monday: 9ams and binge watching Glee

Now, my aim for the entire week is simple: Attend every lecture and wake up at an acceptable time.

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If we’re being real, dragging yourself out of bed for a 9am on a cold Monday morning is no easy task. To make it more bearable, I started by choosing a cute outfit for the day, rather than my usual joggers and hoodie combo. Feeling like a brand new woman, I walked to uni for the first time ever – a huge step for a chronic 699 taker.

I put on my favourite tunes, and I’m currently obsessed with CMAT, which definitely forced me to be in a good mood for once. Instead of feeling like a stressed, sleep-deprived second year, I felt put together and excited for my busy week ahead – surprisingly, if you put effort into looking and feeling good, it actually works. Who would’ve thought it?

Now, I wish I could say I spent the rest of my day being productive, but sometimes romanticising your life means getting into bed at 6pm and binge watching the third season of Glee until 2am. That is exactly what I did.

Tuesday: Sweet treats and oat lattes

I knew today I had to lock in and do some work, but rather than freezing in my uni house, I thought a coffee shop would be a better setting for my main character-esque week. The vibes in a coffee shop are unmatched, and just being there motivated me to channel my inner academic weapon for the first time in a while. I treated myself to an oat latte and a cake at BEAN Coffee.

After attempting to power through all my work – without the help of TikTok – I decided, once again, to go home and get into bed. Another chill night, and to be honest, those are my favourite kind. I put on my sunset lamp and my chill playlist and got stuck into my current book. Sometimes all you need at uni is two chill nights in a row, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with having no plans! Romanticising your life can involve having that chill time you never get to have. This night was a pleasant change from endlessly doom scrolling before falling asleep with my phone on my face.

Wednesday: Solo cinema date

By the middle of the week, I was fully embracing my new romanticised life. What better way to channel that main character energy than by taking myself on a solo date, right? Inspired by my grandad’s love for Bob Dylan, I went to see A Complete Unknown at the cinema. Timothee Chalamet I knew you were good, but this was next level. Great story, and great music – what more could you want?

Afterwards, I put on my headphones, put on a Bob Dylan playlist, and had a little stroll around the Royal Albert Docks. Some would call it a mental health hot girl walk, and it was a perfect end to a wholesome trip out.

Thursday: Jazz night at The Grapes

Nothing screams romanticising your life quite like a jazz bar on a Thursday night, and The Grapes never disappoints. The vibes? Immaculate. The jazz music? Amazing. And with the cheapest pint at being just short of four quid, it’s the perfect way to spend a night out on a budget. I really felt like the main character with a glass of wine in my hand dancing to live jazz. 

Shockingly, I ended the night at Nabzy’s – my current go to post night out food spot. I’m not sure if it’s the cheesy chips or the fact the Chicken Shop Date was filmed in there, but it’s definitely got a place in my heart as a student.

Friday: Serotonin boost on Lark Lane

Most people look forward to the weekend after a long week at uni, but I woke up with an intense feeling of pure dread knowing I had an eight hour shift ahead. Still, I refused to let this stop me from enjoying my (half) day. My housemates and I took a trip to our favourite plant shop. My plant knowledge is questionable but I picked up two, and as a notorious plant killer, I’ve made it my personal mission to keep them alive.

Next stop: Maybe my favourite place in Liverpool – Lark Lane. In summer, it’s the best spot, but even in the cold, if you wrap up warm, the vibes are still there. We wandered around some cute shops and grabbed a coffee. This was the serotonin boost I needed to get me through the dreaded shift at work.

Saturday: Cheeky post-work pints

Now, I genuinely don’t think a 12 hour shift can be romanticised, but as a broke student, the thought of the paycheck at the end of the month kept me going. Nevertheless, an after work drink always has my name written all over it.

St Peter’s Tavern has the best vibes – an old church filled with candles? Yes please! Of course, every night out starts with just a few and, without fail, we end up blackout drunk at Dirty O’Sheas at 4am. Romanticising a hangover is definitely a first for me but that’s part and parcel of being a student, I suppose. I’m still avoiding checking my bank account. 

Sunday: Hungover walk and a pizza

After a busy week and waking up extremely hungover, a Sunday is the ultimate self-care day to keep the hangxiety at bay. After deep cleaning my room and having a bath, yes, I have a bath at uni if that counts as a subtle flex, I headed on a walk around our beloved Sefton Park. There’s something special about going out and literally touching grass after a hardcore accidental night out on the town. Oops.

To end the week on a high note, I treated myself to a delectable meal at Crust on Bold Street. The ‘nduja pizza was exactly what I needed to chase away the Sunday scaries and any remnants of double vodka lemonades that might have been hanging around and causing me trouble. There’s nothing more wholesome than going out for a chatty meal with your best friends, trust me.

If you’re feeling stuck in a complete slump and drowning in uni work, I highly recommend romanticising your week. It actually made such a difference! It felt great to prioritise myself and make the most of my time. Making sure I was ticking all the boxes for wholesome activities and feeling productive gave me a brilliant sense of self – and purpose, tbh.

Whilst doing this every single week might be a bit too much effort, you can channel main character energy whenever you feel like you need it most – even if it is just popping to M&S to get some yellow sticker picky bits and watching your favourite show for the hundredth time. We listen, and we don’t judge.