It’s easy to get stuck going through the motions; from juggling courses and club activities to work and volunteering, we can easily fall into a repetitive school-work-extracurriculars cycle. I felt like I was in a rut, doing the same things over and over again. I soon realized it was impacting my academics: I felt less motivated and less productive. Upon reflection, I realized the days I felt most energized were the days I had done something outside my usual routine.
Seeking New Experiences
Eager to make a change, I challenged myself to try one new thing a day. I decided to start small and find ways to break up the routine I already had. Here are some easy, low time-commitment activities I tried to make even the busiest of days feel more interesting and exciting!
Making Learning Exciting
- Study in a new spot on campus: I used UBC’s informal learning spaces page as a study space bucket list and tried to visit at least one new space every week. Seeing a new part of UBC got me excited about studying and gave me a chance to discover parts of campus that I might never have gone to otherwise!
- Sit in a different spot in class: It’s easy to get used to a particular seat and group of people in class. Trying a new spot was a great way to meet new people and hear different perspectives.
- Try a new study technique or note-taking method: When doing pre-readings, I tried making summary notes after every three pages instead of taking detailed notes for each page. Trying new methods like this improved my focus and helped me learn more about what strategies work best for me.
Diversifying Routines
- Try a new route to school: Starting my day off watching new parts of the city go by made me feel more excited and energized for the day ahead. Who knows, you may actually discover a more efficient route in the process! If you’re already on campus, consider switching up your route to get to class.
- Mixing up my meals: Picking a new ingredient to add to my meals each week was a great way to diversify my diet and have fun experimenting with new recipes. If you’re grabbing lunch on campus, why not try a new food spot!
Take a Break
- Change up study breaks by visiting a campus attraction you haven’t been to before: For example, I visited the Botanical Garden as part of a UBC Recreation Wellbeing Walk during one lunch break, and it was much more refreshing than my usual choice of scrolling through my phone.
- Drop in for a campus event: I tried a candle-making workshop held by my faculty’s undergraduate society and it was a great way to learn a new skill!
Challenging myself to look for new experiences every day has helped me get out of my rut by giving me something to look forward to. I also feel a sense of accomplishment, further motivating me to keep this habit up! Let us know how you find novelty in everyday life in the comments below!
