5 Routines to Establish in College

Routines add structure. They help you manage time. They can provide a sense of calm. And, also, they can help you feel like you’ve got your shit together.

Try establishing some college routines customized to your lifestyle by using these handy formulas. Because, let’s be real, we can’t all carry out a half hour nighttime routine complete with bathbombs and $100 face masks every night.

1. Morning

Morning person or not, this should include a few different things:

1. Something that will help you wake up – For me, this is a cup of coffee. For some, this could be a shower. If you shower in the morning, add extra time to your routine and wake up a bit earlier.

2. A backup alarm (if you’re not a morning person) – If you want to get around this, moving your phone across the room before bed is also a good idea.

3. Breakfast – Crucial, even if it’s as simple as tossing an apple or granola bar in your bag.

2. Night

Hopefully, your night routine kicks off with a semi-consistent bedtime. This is not necessarily likely, but it certainly helps when making a consistent routine. This should include a few things:

1. Something that helps you relax – This could be anything from reading a book, applying a face mask, talking on the phone with your mom, coloring or even watching a YouTube video (though screen time right before bed isn’t the best).

2. Setting your alarms for tomorrow – I usually keep mine on a repeating basis so I don’t have to worry, but I always double check the night before!

3. Something that prepares you for tomorrow – This ranges from checking for last minute assignments to picking out an outfit to getting your backpack together.

4. Something for your skin – My nighttime routine is primarily taken up by a skincare routine. Mine includes removing makeup, washing my face, cleaning my face, moisturizing and sometimes a face mask. Yours, of course, doesn’t need to be super in-depth if you know it’s something you won’t stick to on a consistent basis.

3. Study

Study routines aren’t always consistent, but having a basic template is a great way to start.

1. Location – Where is your studying most productive? Start off your routine by going to the place where you get the most studying done.

2. Snacks – I always like to have a variety of snacks with me so I don’t have an excuse to stop studying. Usually, a sweet snack, salty snack and a healthy snack are a pretty solid combination. Personally, I love bringing a banana, goldfish crackers and a handful of m&ms.

3. Plan/Outline – Before studying, incorporate making a plan into your routine. Figure out which chapters or sections you want to cover in this study session. Or, create an outline for the exam or quiz.

4. Cleaning

I’ve pretty much covered cleaning routines in my Dorm Cleaning Guide with Printable Checklist. I recommend checking it out!

5. Homework

This is a routine you’ll probably repeat multiple times throughout the week as you get more homework.

1. Map out due dates – This will help you figure out which order to do your homework in. Whichever is due the soonest is what should get done first.

2. Create a realistic plan – You don’t need to complete every assignment for the week in one go, but set a bottom line goal for your homework session.

3. Set up the atmosphere – Where do you feel most productive? Is it the kitchen? The library? Do you work well with a homework playlist or silence? With friends or alone? Use this knowledge to help with making a routine.

4. Check your syllabi – At the start of every homework routine, make it a priority to doublecheck the syllabus for each class to ensure you’re up to date on your deadlines.

What are some of your best college routines?