Life on the hilltop is awesome, but it can be incredibly stressful. Between juggling school work, a job, clubs, leadership positions, and sports along with maintaining your mental and physical health, life as a student at Georgetown can be harrowing at times. However, despite the stress, there are many ways to stay positive at Georgetown! Here’s a list of 5 ways to stay positive on the Hilltop.
Focus more on what you’ve done than what you still need to do.
Life as a student on the hilltop calls for a pretty busy lifestyle. For me personally, it feels like my to do list is never ending. Even when I check things off, I am still dismayed at all that I have yet to do. To combat this pessimistic feeling, I’ve recently incorporated “Did Lists” in my life. In addition to writing a to do list and checking things off, I make a separate “did list” of the things that I accomplished that day. This helps me to be glad about the things that I did get done rather than focusing and stressing over the things that I didn’t!
Compete with yourself and yourself only
It’s no secret that there is a competitive atmosphere amongst Georgetown students. We are the best of the best from our respective areas, and we often come in with the expectation of maintaining our status as the “Top Dog”. This cultivates a competitive climate as everyone hunts for opportunities, leadership positions, grades, and internships. However, only you are an equal match to yourself and have the same unique background as yourself. Strive to be a better version of “you” every day rather than being the “best” every day!
Have motivational quotes all around you
I am a big proponent of motivational quotes. Research shows that seeing something repeatedly helps you to remember it and internalize it. I recommend putting a motivational quote anywhere you look often. I have a poster of a motivational quote on my door that I look at on my way out of my form room. I know others who have a quote as the background of their phone screen, their screen saver on their computer, or taped to a notebook. It seems like a small thing, but it really helps to boost your positivity!
Prioritize your health
Take care of yourself–even when you are stressed out of your mind! You will not be able to perform if you are not prioritizing your physical and mental well-being. Make sure to eat, even when you don’t feel like eating…your body needs fuel to run. For more tips, see the picture above of the awesome billboard on the fourth floor of VCW!
Surround yourself with people who pour into you rather than people who dry you out
Stay away from drama. It’s hard enough being a student without adding in drama. Leave the drama in high school and surround yourself with people that want to invest into you rather than those who just want to tear you down. Additionally, try to steer clear of negative people– they’ll typically rub off on you! Find people who are positive and live life with a smile on their face and keep them close!