5 Ways to be Happier this February

After a month of stuffing my face to new limits, spending hours in the same position on the couch, avoiding the gym like the plague, and in general being slobby af, I'm ready once again for yet another semester in my university career! I like to think I'm dynamic, so the night before my classes started, I decided to mix up my daily routine a little, and try some new things to feel more productive and take better care of myself. Here are 5 new things I've tried which seem to be working for me (so far):

1. Wake up early.

Okay, so I might just be the worst person in the world to be saying this (I pulled all-nighters almost everyday last semester), but this has really been working well for me. There's nothing nicer than waking up before the annoying sound of the alarm, and feeling completely refreshed. Besides, 6 in the morning is the quietest time of the day, especially if you live in a college dorm. But if you want to wake up early, you've got to-

2. Sleep early.

I can hear you- "I have so much homework this semester, it's near impossible." "I can't fall asleep." "Why?" "I work better at night." Let me just ambush all of you by saying that recent studies have proven that although it's possible to work well at night, people who work in the morning are happier. Read more here. And happiness is always good, right?

3. Eat a really heavy breakfast.

I cannot say this enough, but there's nothing better than eating a breakfast that completely fills you up. You not only feel energised, but your mood is better (no more being hangry). Plus, you can gorge on what you want, because the morning is the best time to eat what you want (after hours of sleep, our body is ready to digest like crazy- I never claimed to be a sciency person so.).

4. And go easy on lunch and dinner.

It's tempting to eat a heavy lunch and dinner, but in my recent experience, going light on these meals (i.e. some fruit, yoghurt, rice, a salad) helps you feel lighter, and doesn't cause indigestion (I can't promise anything about dining hall food though!).

5. Smile more, and don't take life so seriously.

I've been making conscious efforts to smile whenever I can, and not let what other people say get to me. I can promise that "doing you" and not caring about what others think will make you feel more confident about yourself. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, and if someone catches you making one, don't let it get to you! It's okay to be wrong, as long as you learn from what happened.