From sad b*tch to bad b*tch: The winter guide you need to get your life together

It’s that time of year where any last traces of your summer glow have well and truly disappeared. You probably have a cough from the black mould growing on the windowsill of your damp, cold student house, and January exam season has left you questioning the will to live.

Self-care is much more than a bubble bath and a face mask, although those things can of course help. We all know that it’s easy to get into bad habits at uni, but making the deliberate effort to develop good intentions with eating well, trying to exercise (you’ll only ever regret not going to the gym) and taking a step back to reflect on what is really serving you for the greater good, will keep you on the right path to carry on being the bad bitch you know you are.

Need some tips to get you through this time of struggle? Then look no further; we’ll get through it together.

Organise your life

Being organised is the fundamental basis of keeping stress levels low and bad bitch energy high. However generic it may sound, it is absolutely essential to know where you need to be and when you need to be there. A true baddie is always on top of their shit.

Finding out which methods work best for you is key – whether that be pencilling plans into your calendar as soon as you make them, or waking up that bit earlier in the morning to give yourself time to plan the day ahead of you.

For example, having a Sunday reset day to prepare for the next week is easy, effective and productive. Clean your room, plan your meals, put your overdue laundry on, make sure you know your lecture schedule, and then relax knowing that you’re going to smash the week ahead.

Date yourself instead

Regardless of whether you’re single or you have a romantic partner; make caring for yourself the priority. Why wait around for someone else to make you feel special when you can do that yourself? Romanticise your life like you’re the main character in an award-winning movie.

Take yourself out for lunch, get your nails done, treat yourself every now and again and don’t ever think you need another person to get through a bottle of wine with.

You’re the only company you’re stuck with indefinitely, so you may as well try and nurture yourself and build up that relationship as best you can.

Change it up

If you’re bored of the way you look, take the plunge and just make the change. Always been envious of the many an eyebrow piercing around campus, but worried you can’t pull it off? You 100 per cent can, go for it.

Tired of your current wardrobe and jealous of the funky fits you spy your mates wearing all over Instagram? Get yourself down to Gloucester Road and spend the day exploring the many a charity shops and thrift stores; you definitely won’t be leaving empty handed.

Been thinking about changing up your barnet but worried bleach will fry your hair? Whatever, hair grows back eventually.

Take the risk, make the change and if you don’t like it you can just change it back anyway.

Feign that summer glow

There’s not a lot of Vitamin D going round in these grisly winter months, so why not replicate its effects? There’s no denying that everyone look’s better with a tan.

Exfoliate, shave (or don’t, you do you) and slap on 3 layers of St Moritz. You’ll be sure to feel like a million dollars when you wake in the morning.

Take a deep breath and slow down

It’s so easy at uni to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of a hectic day-to-day routine. Whether that be going out and drinking every night, and suffering the consequences the next morning, or just always having too many commitments to comfortably fit into one day.

It’s easy to burn out, with relaxing being far down on the priority list in a busy schedule. In order to recharge and be your best self, it’s key to take a step back and look at what you really need.

So whack on a YouTube yoga video and stretch your body, or cosy up into bed to watch your favourite old film. If all else fails, the classic combo of a a bubble bath, face mask and some ambient candles is a good place to start.

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