Pay attention to what you put into your body. Especially during the growing phase as an adolescent, it is super important to eat more healthy foods and less trash. There are so many delicious dishes that you can make with vegetables, such as a Caesar salad. Instead of donuts and cupcakes that are loaded with saturated fats and sugars, try fruits that are just as sweet.
Explore different music genres. At first, I only listened to pop music because that’s what everything else was listening to. Then, my friend introduced me to K-pop. I have officially dived into the wonderful world of K-pop, and have never regretted my action since. Many may think that K-pop is just pop music in another language, but there are numerous genres within K-pop, such as melodic ballads and dancing anthems. My favorites are IU, Girls’ Generation, BTS, and many more.
Remember to take care of yourself; more importantly, don’t forget to treat yourself. Don’t regret visiting the nearby CVS, or in my case, Nature Republic (this is not a paid promotion), for beauty products like face masks and nail polishes that aren’t really necessary. Just kidding, they are absolutely necessities in life.
Explore all the shows that Netflix has to offer. When I first fell down the hole of Netflix, I couldn’t find a good television series, and always watched whatever was popular. Series that I really enjoyed are: Bodyguard, Criminal Minds, Gilmore Girls, and Grey’s Anatomy. I tried series that were in another language, such as Kingdom and Secret Forest (Korean dramas on Netflix). These two shows absolutely had me stunned because I was not emotionally and mentally ready for the rollercoaster of twists and turns of the plot.
Hand balms and lip balms are a must. Especially in the cold weather, your lips and hands can become extremely dry. Chapped lips is one of the worst, honestly. I still remember when EOS came up with those egg-shaped lip balms which have captivated me since I was a kid. Good times.
Hand in your assignments on time and study for your exams. I love the feeling of having nothing on my mind when I watch videos, such as the imaginary alarm going, “Math homework!” every five seconds or so. Instead of having that alarm go off, why don’t just get everything else done first and have a truly relaxing session afterwards? It’s so much better.
Enjoy a hot cup of latte or coffee on a rainy day. Usually on rainy days, I would just sleep for the entire day, but I’ve been trying to keep myself awake. It is so relaxing and nice to have a hot drink when the weather is cold. Sometimes, it feels so much better staying at home even though this doesn’t seem that much appealing at first, ‘cause staying at home can be boring.
Go to sleep before midnight. Or even earlier. A good night’s sleep is so important. Comprehension and mood are all associated with your sleep quality.
Matcha is a blessing to this world. Before I discovered matcha-flavored food, my world was a mix of black, white, and grey. After my paramount discovery, my world has been a rainbow ever since. Matcha ice cream, matcha tea latte from Starbucks, and matcha rice balls dominate my list of the best foods on Planet Earth.
Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated. Nowadays, there are so many unhealthy drinks that overshadow the essential drink: water. Loaded with fat, carbohydrates, or unnecessary pH labels, drinks such as Gatorade and Sprite are beverages that people choose to consume over water.
Check your belongings before leaving the house. This just saves so much time when you’re in a rush. I remember when my cousin told me that my aunt forgot her passport when they were leaving for the airport. *facepalm*, I’ve been there.
Meditate when you have time. I have been introduced to mindfulness and meditation for a long time, but I have put them off because I thought I did not have time to practice them. In reality, however, meditation will not take a lot of time out of your schedule. There are five-minute meditation videos out on YouTube that I found are really helpful. Especially during a stressful day, you should take a few minutes out and relieve some of that stress and let yourself breathe.
Enjoy a nice trip out with your family on a sunny day. Oftentimes, staying in can be quite suffocating. Plan a relaxing trip sometime during the weekends and just enjoy the scenery. My friend, Matt, loves upstate and dislikes Long Island. I agree with him on his opinion about upstate. I highly recommend driving on the highways while admiring the color-changing trees during autumn. So aesthetically beautiful.
Respect others who have different opinions. Everyone can get pretty agitated especially during a debate when the other person does not share the same view. At the end of the day, whether somebody says that chocolate-flavored ice cream is better than vanilla-flavored ice cream should not affect how we should treat others. Kindness above difference.
Clean the house when you can. For adolescents like me, cleaning is one of my chores. While helping out my family, I can also earn some bucks, much like the real world. But, I also find cleaning to be such a therapeutic process. It’s so satisfying to clean the floor or vacuum the carpet.
Give back to the community. When I was struggling, everyone around me gave me so much support, such as my teachers and my friends. I always wanted to give back to my community who has helped me so much in the past. Through participating in student government at school, I found the perfect opportunity to make my wish a reality.
Remember to cool off when you’re angry. When people argue and say curse words, it is their anger that they want to express. These words sometimes can be extremely hurtful, and not want people originally wanted to express. So, when you’re feeling angry, give yourself time to cool off.
