Lucky for me and my waistline, my aunt is a fitness instructor at our church. She recently assigned a new fast of no sweets for two weeks. No cakes, cookies, candy, pies, or ice cream. Since she didn’t say “no sweet breakfast foods,” I snuck in some cinnamon rolls before I could ask her if those were included. (They were). However, in light of my new no-sweet fast, I’ve taken up the art of making fruit smoothies.
Ingredients:
- 6-8 strawberries
- Half a banana
- One cup of yogurt
- Some milk (I forgot how much)
- Some sugar (Sweet-N-Low if you’re really dedicated)
As I sat down to enjoy my none-dessert delight, I realized that there are a few ingredients that can help ease stress during the application decision crunch time (Now- till March).
Ingredients:
- 3-4 activities a week that you thoroughly enjoy (can include reading, hiking, watching movies, laughing, singing in the shower, etc. Only requirement-your safety and enjoyment)
- Half-off clothing sales (okay, maybe this only helps me!)
- One compliment to yourself every day (Only requirement- must be creative & positive)
- Some hugs and encouragement from friends & family (support goes a long way)
- Some time to reflect on the great things that you’ve accomplished already
After working hard on those applications & getting them in, there’s nothing you can necessarily do but wait (at least until scholarship deadlines start looming). I guarantee that it won’t help your chances at acceptance if you worry yourself regularly. Take time to enjoy the fact that you’ve accomplished something major! You have applied to college, which includes all of the tediousness of making sure each application is complete. Even though the school year isn’t over and I’m sure there are plenty of other things on your plate, remember to allot some relaxation time to do things that keep you at your best. I’m not saying it is easy. Not a day passes when I don’t worry about getting accepted into the graduate programs that I’ve applied to…but I also have wonderful moments of clarity when I remind myself to focus on the good things in the here-and-now…like the smoothie I just made. Oh, and if my ingredients don’t quite fit for you…add in your own. The best recipes are the ones with a little added spice and a secret ingredient. Happy New Year!