As a student, being productive both during and after classes is super important. But when you have a day off, what do you usually do? Your day may involve scrolling on TikTok, watching a show or playing video games. You are definitely not the only person that has fallen victim to wasting five hours falling down a social media hole. And you surely are not the only person who may have a friend or two that has spent their whole day binge watching a season of some TV show. Well, if you want to feel like you had a more productive and energetic day, here are five things you can try to incorporate!
1. Go to the gym or exercise
This is not simply a ploy to get you off your phone; getting exercise is one of the most productive ways to benefit your body and your mind. If you’ve been thinking of starting that workout but haven’t had the motivation to do so, consider substituting that extra 30 minutes of “doing nothing” for exercise. UCLA has two gyms for students, the Bruin Fitness Center, or BFIT, and the John Wooden Center, among other facilities. Don’t like working out in a gym? Don’t want to use the exercise machines? There are various classes offered every quarter that you can sign up for, including dance or pilates. Aside from these classes, running around campus can be super peaceful too!
2. Build your skills or find a new hobby
If you’ve been thinking about trying something new, such as learning a language, painting, coding or even reading a new book, you can definitely take time on a day off to try that out! Why not try something new while also getting something out of it? Paint a picture that you can put up in a dorm! Read a book that you can talk with your friend about! Learn code or a new language to communicate with more people and add to your resume! There are so many things to learn, and you can cater these new skills around hobbies of your liking. I’m sure there is at least one thing you want to try out that you still haven’t gotten to, so give it a go!
3. Give back to the community
Too often we have tunnel vision regarding our commitments and sometimes forget we can be productive by helping our surrounding community as a whole. If you have time and like to engage in service, giving back to your community is a great way to spend your day off. Whether it’s choosing to tutor or mentor students that need help, helping with a community clean-up or volunteering at a local animal shelter or food bank, you can learn and give a lot back in those hours. If you’ve been thinking about it but don’t know where to start, look up volunteer opportunities online because there are many that are available!
4. Cooking or meal-prep
If you’re a student that needs to make their own meals during the week, meal-prepping can be a very productive and useful strategy for your weekly schedule. First, it is helpful when you have to do lots of work for classes because you can eat without having to waste time making the whole meal. It is also a much healthier option compared to eating outside all the time, not to mention a cheaper option if you often order delivery. If you like to cook anyway, this may just be the best option for you!
5. Spend time with family or friends
It would be wrong of me to not advocate for the importance of spending time with those you care about. The evidence is clear: time with loved ones can better your mental health. It can be hard to spend time with family or friends during the week with so many classes going on, but if you have a day or two off, make plans with friends! You can go out for lunch, spend a day at the beach or simply just chat on campus. And if you aren’t able to physically be together, schedule a phone call or FaceTime to check in!
A day off shouldn’t feel like a waste, nor should it feel like it must be packed full of activities, as there are many different activities to engage in that don’t require large amounts of energy. On a free day, consider doing any of the above activities!
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Featured Image: A UCLA student sets up a hammock to relax by Janns Steps on their day off. For many students, hammocking is a favorite way to unwind on campus. Photographed by Amy Miranda/BruinLife
