Ask Ava!

By: Ava Green

Retail therapy isn't a cure all, but it is a cure-most. I see absolutely nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with a little treat for absolutely no reason, and it's even better when there is a reason. Being a stressed student during finals week is as good of a reason as any to reward yourself. 

My “treat yo’ self” splurge lately has been a smoothie bowl from Smoothie Lab, but as my GriffBucks balance withers away, it’s gotten much harder to invest in my daily stops for snacks around campus. If you’re in a similar boat, you can try opting to buy yourself something even more valuable – some time. 

During exam week, our time is filled in ways we probably don’t prefer, like with studying, writing papers and being a student in general – nothing fun at all. It’s important now, more than ever, to prioritize time spent recreationally and relaxationally. For me, that time is found when I’m away from people and with myself, the only sane person I know. Thankfully, if you’re more extraverted than me, you can spend your “me time” surrounded by people that make you forget about the looming dread that rolls in with the ending of the academic calendar. 

My advice here is to spend, spend, spend! Whether it's your money, on something random that’ll distract you for a bit, or it’s a day you spent taking care of non-academic needs, you’ll thank me later. You have more time than you think, so fret not, and set some of it aside to decompress!