This weekend marks the third week of living in my newly furnished apartment, in what is practically a new city to me, and in a new chapter of life. Although I have been settled in for what most would consider a sufficient amount of time, I have only just begun to process the events of the past few weeks.
Most of us college students relate to the hectic, exciting, yet wildly unsettling feeling of moving into a new living space. Now, I have been through the motions of college move-in but transitioning into a real-adult apartment with structure, etiquette, and full-fledged families, shed new light on just how difficult it is to settle into and organize a space that satisfies your needs.
The move itself was more emotionally and physically draining than anticipated, and by the time my parents had to leave, there was still a lot of unfinished business--a broken desk, missing bedding arrangements, you name it. I felt more overwhelmed than ever as I wanted everything to be sorted out before the start of school. Much of my cleaning, organizing, and finalizing arrangements with furniture delivery companies overlapped with my school work, research, and MCAT studying for the first few weeks, blurring my days together. I created to-do lists and schedules galore thinking that would cure my anxiety and ignite a productive spark within me but nothing seemed to work.
So, this past weekend, I decided to carve out time to arrange the study area in my room-- really compartmentalize and create a functional space to work when I am not on campus. My self-proclaimed OCD cost me more time than I wanted to spend organizing; however, everything has fallen into place ever since. I have been more level-headed, productive, and motivated in all aspects of life. This whole experience, challenging to say the least, has taught me the importance of creating your own “sanctuary”-- a place where you can study, sleep, relax, and feel safe. My personal advice: it may seem like a chore, but take the time to customize your living space to your liking.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs explains how our needs can eventually lead to self actualization. The hierarchy is split into three categories: basic needs, psychological needs, and self-fulfillment needs. In order to advance to the higher levels, the lower must be fulfilled, and when they are not fulfilled, this lack of growth can harm mental health. As pre-health students, we aspire to grow mentally, both academically and emotionally. Thus, having a safe, productive space to study, breathe, rest, and most importantly feel at home, is integral.
Here are a few tips to create your ideal space:
Set manageable goals for cleaning/organization
Decorate your room with pictures, plants, anything that makes you feel like you’ve created this space for yourself
Neutral room colors
Blankets and pillows x2
Keep distractions in your room to a minimum