Katie  0:00 

Hi guys, welcome back to I'm doing fine podcast. It is season five of our podcast, guys, isn't that crazy? We are so excited to be back in the counseling center and to work with all of you guys, all over again. I've really missed my peer ads over the summer and recording the podcast, of course. My name is Katie.

 

Lexie  0:23 

I'm Lexie,

 

Usha  0:24 

I'm Usha,

 

Karly  0:25 

I'm Karly.

 

Katie  0:26 

So obviously, we have some new voices with us. We're so excited to have Usha and Karly and of course, Lexie's back, of course. So I want to know how everybody's summer was. I worked so much during the summer, so I couldn't really like, I don't want to say I couldn't enjoy it, because I think I did enjoy my summer, but I did spend a lot of time with my family, which is really what I wanted to do over the summer. And my schedule is so demanding, so I can't really go home a lot, so it was awesome to spend time with my family while I could. Yeah,

 

Karly  1:02 

I worked as a behavior tech this summer, so I got to do ABA therapy. I love that. Diagnosed with autism. It was really fulfilling. And I definitely miss all my kids there. I like that. But I also went on a cruise in Hawaii with my family for two weeks. That was definitely the coolest vacation I've had.

 

Lexie  1:19 

That's so fun.

 

Katie  1:20 

I love that.

 

Lexie  1:21 

Yeah, my summer was definitely eventful. I moved home for the summer, like right at the beginning, because I was really struggling mentally when school ended, so that was kind of a bummer. But the bright side is I got to spend a lot of time with my family, because I lived with them, which is cool. We went on a family trip to Italy, which was really fun. I've been to Europe before, but not Italy, and it's definitely one of my favorite places in Europe. It was really, really lovely. And my friends and I went on a couple, like, camping, hiking trips to Colorado and Maine, and I got to see Hozier, you're in concert. So it was a good summer.

 

Katie  1:58 

Yeah, I saw all your photos. I was so jealous. I'm like, Wait, this is so beautiful. I love this. I loved every post that you made. I was so excited to see what you posted.

 

Usha  2:12 

Yeah, this summer has been quite relaxing for me. I have spent quality time with my family, and finally, I got a chance to visit [], and []

 

Katie  2:20 

We love that.

 

Usha  2:21 

So yeah, which are on my bucket list for this summer.

 

Katie  2:24 

That's so awesome

 

Usha  2:25 

I also started working for my part time job as a student assistant. And yeah, it's been both productive and relaxing summer for me.

 

Katie  2:32 

I love that

 

Lexie  2:33 

So good to hear. Well, it sounds like everyone had an awesome summer. I thoroughly enjoy my summers, but I do look so forward to school starting back up. So do I miss the routine and the structure of my school schedule? And over the summer, my therapist and I were working together to build more like healthy routines for when school started, and I realized how much an intentional routine helps me mentally and, like, academically, and I'd love to hear from you guys about how you manage school and everything else going on, especially since we're, like, a month into school, so we're really feeling it now, right, right.

 

Katie  3:14 

No, I have always struggled with having a routine that I'm able to consistently keep up with. I feel like I make it and, like, within like, a week, I'm like, gone. I'm over this. I'm like, I'm over this. Like, this is too much work. But I really have stuck to my routine of going to the library after, like, our Peer Ed meetings on Wednesday and my classes on Tuesday and Thursday. It has helped me separate, like, my life at home in school, so like, I get all of my schoolwork done while I'm at the library, and I'm able to relax with my roommates, do whatever without worrying about the schoolwork piling up, piling up, because if I go home, I am not going to sit down and do my homework. Like, absolutely not. Like, I'm not the type of person that can sit in their room and do homework, like, I always find something else to be doing, like, whether it be taking a nap or like, like, really anything annoying my roommates, like, literally cleaning my room, literally anything but doing homework. And along with that, is going to work on days that, like, I feel okay working, like I pick up shifts at the beginning of the week, or like the night before, and if, like, Hey, I feel good about the work I've gotten done, like I'll pick up a shift, and the only days I'll pick up a shift is Monday, Friday and Sunday and like that also helps me separate work from my home life and work from school. So I'm not, like, sitting at work hoping the kids go to bed so I can do homework. Like, everything's all separated in their own little times. So no, that's awesome. It's perfect for me and going to the library after classes. Like, I'm still like, in like, learning. Learn mode. I'm like, in learn modes, I'm like, Oh, I'm willing to, like, work through a problem, whether, like, if I'm at home and I just randomly start doing homework, I'm like, What on earth? I do not want to work through this right now. So that schedule of going to the library and working those only those specific days has helped me so much mentally as like, I'm able to, like, decompress when I get home from all of those things. Yeah, no, I

 

Lexie  5:27 

I totally agree with that. The moment that I step foot into my home with my roommates, like, done for and is home, I don't even know my backpack and sit down, I definitely agree school is like my favorite thing ever, but it's also incredibly stressful to me, which is an interesting like position to be in. It's hard with how much I like school, but then also how much it can be really negative for my mental health. So it's definitely a balance, but an intentional routine really does make all the difference for me as a person and like a student as well. I do live and die by my Google Calendar, I schedule literally everything on it, from like shower to homework, like I I check it off and it's so satisfying to me, but I block out my time in hour long chunks, like on my calendar to help me visualize how much time I actually have. So time blind, I'm like, Oh, I can do that. And this afternoon when like, no, and yeah, it's me, but it's helped me a lot with having enough time to actually do my homework and work and still have time for other things, which is a constant, like anxiety to me, right?

I don't have no time.

And I also started meal prepping this semester. Oh, I know I'm five weeks strong, which is like a big deal for me, and it has literally changed my life, because I have so much more time because I don't have to make dinner every night, which,

 

Katie  6:59 

Right? No, it is like, is, like a healthy meal is like, so, like, it takes like, three hours of your time, and like, when you're already tired, right? Not even being dramatic.

 

Lexie  7:00 

No. Like, realistically, three hours. But I spend all of the time on, like Sunday, and I make all my dinners and breakfast, and then it's done, which is, like, unreal to me. Um, but like I always resisted routine, thinking it made my life feel too like rigid, but I really leaned into it this semester, and per my therapist, thank you helping a lot.

 

Katie  7:35 

That makes me so happy for you.

 

Lexie  7:37 

I know I love hearing about all your guys, like I'll add little little things into mine, right?

 

Karly  7:43 

Mine's really similar with using my Google Calendar for absolutely everything. It's so nice to be able to like structure when I have class, when I have clubs or work, because that way I'm not like, Oh my gosh. What do I have to do today?

 

Katie  7:56 

Oh my God. Are your guys's color coded?

 

Karly  7:59 

Yes,

 

Katie  8:00 

Okay. Okay. Yeah, I love that.

 

Karly  8:03 

But that way, even if every day is different, it's still structured, and I know what I need to do, what I need to get done. And I love that there's little tasks that you can like check off. So I feel like it's a little reward for me.

 

Katie  8:14 

It's accomplishing to cross things off of your list exactly.

 

Karly  8:18 

But aside from Google Calendar, I've also found that I'm the most productive in the morning time, so getting up early and getting my stuff done. That's why, since I have an on campus job, I schedule it in the morning, because I can do my homework while I'm at work. So that way I can just do everything in the morning. Because by the time it hits probably five o'clock, the last thing I want to do is homework or check any of my actual Yeah, anything I had to do. So waking up somewhat early and getting stuff done has really helped me to get everything done right away.

 

Katie  8:45 

That's awesome.

 

Usha  8:47 

Yeah, I'm the person who loves the routine, but they've been following

 

Katie  8:52 

Same.

 

Usha  8:53 

So, but before the semester started, I made a decision to incorporate a certain routine, which helped me balance both personal and professional life. So this semester, I have taken up many things, like I work as a student assistant for two part time jobs, and I also work as a peer educator, and as I am a graduate student, I make sure I want to make a decision to attend all the events which are happening in the college. So it's been a very tough to manage all those so I just like, set up the reminders for every event. And I also start using Google Calendars everything, so it can be easy for me. And I started a meal prep too.

 

Katie  9:36 

Oh,I love that.

 

Usha  9:40 

And right now I'm working on my sleep schedule.

 

Katie  9:43 

Oh, that's a good one. That's always a good one.

 

Usha  9:47 

Yeah, I stay late up to like one or two in the night.

 

Katie  9:51 

That's me too. That's literally me too.

 

Usha  9:54 

So I'm just working onand trying to incorporate more healthy habits in the routine,

 

Katie  9:59 

Right.

 

And I feel like that's always like a main thing that's like, you gotta incorporate the good to like, yeah, yeah,

 

Karly  10:06 

Yeah. It's definitely essential to have a routine in college. And it's really cool that something different works for everyone and we all use it.

 

Katie  10:13 

It is so cute.

 

Karly  10:16 

And while having a routine for coursework might make each day less stressful, it's also important that we focus on ourselves and take time for what we want to do. But I'd love to know, how are you guys feeling less stressed in your own life?

 

Katie  10:27 

Facts.

 

Lexie  10:29 

I have I do really well with consistency. So I specifically gave myself 10 AMS Monday through Friday so that my day starts at the same time.

 

Karly  10:38 

I did that too. I did the same thing.

 

Katie  10:39 

Maybe I should try that.

 

Karly  10:43 

I hate waking up at different times everyday.

 

Lexie  10:47 

So, that's really, really nice. And because it's like 10, that's not very early. So I've been getting up like earlier, as in, like, eight, okay, you guys, right, like, not that much earlier.

 

Katie  10:58 

No, eight is so early for me, because I sleep in so much,

 

Lexie  11:04 

because I stay up so late,

 

Katie  11:05 

So do I. No, I get that.

 

Lexie  11:10 

The earlier because I'm I was the type of person that got up like, 20 minutes before I need to leave, running around and running late and crazy. Oh yeah, it does, and it set my day up horribly, like, the rest of the day. So getting up earlier and then, like, you know, I eat my little overnight oats and listen to music, and I focus on, like, what I want for that day, and my homework is already done, right? Since have a routine.

 

Katie  11:37 

Yeah, you're not scrambling. You're not scrambling in the morning.

 

Lexie  11:41 

And it's just, I don't know, it's so much better than my past routine of sleeping in as late as possible and then being late inevitably,

 

Katie  11:48 

right?

 

Lexie  11:49 

So, yeah, very mindful.

 

Katie  11:50 

No, it is. Yeah, it really is. My mindful moment for the past month since school started, is kind of what I said. And like, the routine based thing, kind of just separating work and school life and my personal life and my social life, separating all of those has helped my mental health tremendously. Because last year I was like, I was a mess. I was like, mixing hanging out with my friends and doing homework, and then my homework wasn't as good. Like, what I put into my homework was, like bare minimum. Like, that needed to change. So following my routine strictly has honestly been mindful for me as a bigger picture, even if, right now, I'm annoyed with it, but I know it'll pay off eventually, and this routine will do wonders for me and my grades.

 

Usha  12:52 

I have started taking one day a week for relaxing. I also started walking in nature.

 

Lexie  12:59 

Yeah,

 

Usha  13:03 

and preparing for the next week.

 

Katie  13:05 

I need to do that. I need to start doing that every single month. Yes, no, I love that.

 

Karly  13:15 

Mine has been prioritizing spending time with my friends, because I feel like last year I focused too much on, like, the school stuff. Yeah, and while it's still important, it's just as important to, like, spend time with your friends. So we've started cooking together and watching a movie one night a week.

 

I love that nice. That just sounds so much fun.

 

I love it, and we do it Friday night. So that way the whole week, I'm like, I just gotta get my homework done, and I can look forward to that.

 

Katie  13:40 

I literally love that so much.

 

Lexie  13:42 

Then you're not like anxious because it's Friday night.

 

Karly  13:45 

Yeah, there's nothing to worry about. So we last one, we did, we had a Fall Movie Night, so we like made pumpkin pasta. I love it.

 

Katie  13:53 

I love that

 

Lexie  13:54 

Is this an open invite event?

 

Katie  13:57 

I will be there. Give me time Indy. I will be there.

 

Karly  14:01 

It's just so nice because it also just creates the best memories too. So it's a win, win.

 

Katie  14:05 

So wholesome

 

Usha  14:10 

That's all for this podcast. Thank you all for listening to our podcast again and see you in the next week.

 

Katie  14:16 

Bye guys!