Picture this: you've just woken up at noon and remembered it's Saturday, so you can lay in bed a little longer, lounge in your pyjamas, maybe go out for coffee with friends, or finally watch that show everyone's been talking about. As the day goes on, your mind feels free—you’ve stepped away from the classroom and are giving yourself a well-deserved break. But time passes and Saturday’s beautiful skies darken with Sunday's looming presence.
When it comes to the weekend, Sunday is no one's favourite. It's the final day before jumping back into your daily schedule, the very thing you’ve just managed to take a break from. But it doesn’t have to feel so melancholy. Despite the inevitable appearance of Monday (and those Monday morning blues), transforming your Sunday from a day of mourning to a day of restoration can help you feel much more prepared for what lies ahead.
Here are a few tricks I use to make the most out of my Sundays.
Review my syllabi
Due dates can be sneaky. Even though I know the assignments for each of my classes, juggling the due dates for five subjects can get confusing. The last thing I want is to go into a week unsure if that five-page paper or five-minute online quiz is due. Reviewing your syllabi is a quick step to make sure there are no surprises. Most professors will have their syllabus linked to the Brightspace page or gave out a hard copy on day one. If you find you don’t have either, you can send a quick email to your professor or TA or ask a friend!
Make a plan
I find the best way to know what my week will look like is to write it down. This can be in a planner, on my phone, on a sticky note, or even on the back of a scrap piece of paper. This creates a template for what’s to come. Maybe it will be blank (woohoo!), or maybe it will be packed full. Regardless, writing everything down turns my week into something tangible, rather than various thoughts floating around my head.
A lot can happen in a week: new assignments, pop quizzes, approaching deadlines, along with lectures, labs, or tutorials. Writing everything down helps me visualize what I already know so I can make time for what gets thrown at me throughout the week. At the very least, having a rough schedule lessens the chance of feeling the post-weekend shock when I step into my first class of the week.
Clean
By the end of the week my room is a mess. There are clothes on the floor and even more piled high in my laundry basket, random papers scattered across my desk, and trash that needs taking out. I get so busy during the week that by the time I finish all my work, cleaning is the last thing I want to do. Though it’s not the most exciting thing, taking time out of my Sunday to tidy my space not only puts the chaos of the previous week back in order but also prevents it from becoming overwhelming. For me, a decluttered space is a decluttered mind.
Self-care
While organizing papers and jotting down due dates is important to be prepared for the new week, I also make sure to take care of myself. Especially around mid-terms, finals, or even regular due dates, the stress of getting things done can be really overwhelming. Sometimes the best way to use my Sunday is to sleep in and watch movies.
Treating yourself with the things you love most can be just as effective as creating a detailed schedule. This could be reading a good book, watching TV, hanging out with friends, or working out. Do what makes you happy!