Swipe Scavenging
After wallowing in the 400 swipes of the unlimited dining plan last year, I elected to go with the stingiest possible meal plan for my sophomore…
Tufts is academically rigorous. This is one of our main selling points, and Jumbos who go through every day here definitely understand this better than anyone. Sometimes, going through days and weeks of constant homework, study groups and exams makes it feel like it's never going to end. As a busy college student, mental health breaks are essential. In between subjects for example, taking time to breathe is what is going to get you through the next couple gruelling hours of studying. So without further ado, here are my personal favorite study breaks, that put a smile back on my face when I need it there the most.
1) Airplane watching
Tufts sits on the top of a hill, right under the path of the planes taking off from Logan International Airport. Never once have I found the noise disturbing, never has it woken me up or kept me from sleeping. I think airplanes are inherently cool, so I love taking a couple minutes to stare up at the sky as they cut through the blue overhead. I'll lie on a bench and guess the airlines by the plane tails, imagining the stories of the people inside.
2) Snuggling
My best friend and I are lucky enough to be roommates. She's an engineer, and I'm pre-med, giving us more than enough work between the two of us. Studying in our room can both be beneficial (ie we're close to the snack supply) and detrimental (ie sleep is very appealing). When we find ourselves about to explode, a quick flop on the bed and snuggling of various stuffed animals is the most regenerative thing you could imagine. That is, until you get punched by your roommate because you're taking too long to get back to studying. It's like an interactive alarm clock!
3) Online shopping (but only kind of sort of)
Target is my go-to. Because despite what any other more sophisticated girl might say, Target is the bomb. Cheap, cute stuff that I can be a super girly-girl over. I love to lose myself in the pages of dresses for 10 or so minutes, never actually buying anything, but feeling ever so relieved to be staring at something other than a lab report.
4) Jamz
Not that I can actually jam, but I love sitting in the common room and listening to some amazing people do amazing things with guitars. Tufts students are truly some of the most talented people I have ever met, and listening to my friends play everything from classic rock to blues to alternative pop is a true joy. It's the sort of experience that just sort of fills you with a happy energy, which is more than enough to get you through some more studying.
5) Coffee break!
When my friend Gabrielle and I finish our chemistry lab, we don't go straight to studying, instead, we go straight to Dewick. Our favorite dining hall is a warm, comforting place to go after the trials of chem lab, and offers unlimited coffee. Add a swirl of whipped cream, a sprinkle of cinnamon and you have a little cup of cold weather heaven in front of you. Sipping a hot beverage with a good friend is a great way to relax for a couple minutes!
After wallowing in the 400 swipes of the unlimited dining plan last year, I elected to go with the stingiest possible meal plan for my sophomore…