The daily grind of university life is an accomplishment worth romanticizing
The start of a new year often brings a surge of ambition. Students return to campus with big goals of acing exams, consistent workouts and perfectly balanced schedules. Yet, as the weeks unfold, the initial momentum fades and the reality of the university grind sets in.
Alongside dreams to remain consistent and dwindling motivation, romanticizing the mundane of university life could perhaps foster mindfulness and motivation to last you the entire semester.
Romanticizing the mundane of university life could perhaps foster mindfulness and motivation to last you the entire semester.
Like many students, I begin each semester with ambitious goals and fresh motivation. Yet, as the semester unfolds and responsibilities build up, those goals often take a backseat, leaving my early enthusiasm behind.
With motivation seemingly lost in the hustle, it is easy to overlook the value hidden in the simplest parts of your day. The seemingly insignificant moments, such as grabbing a coffee, walking to campus, or studying with your friends, hold the power to ground you.
Romanticizing the mundane offers a refreshing perspective on daily life. It encourages students to embrace the repetitive aspects of their routines rather than viewing them as monotonous chores. This mindset not only helps break the cycle of boredom but also fosters resilience and sustainable motivation.
University life is filled with highs and lows. Accepting the challenges that accompany it can be mentally taxing. Maintaining a routine committed to the simplest aspects of life could help you keep going even when you’re at your lowest times, long after your resolution fades.
Maintaining a routine committed to the simplest aspects of life could help you keep going even when you’re at your lowest times, long after your resolution fades
I believe that embracing the mundane amid the hustle of university life can help students cultivate mindfulness and resilience. Focusing on the small, ordinary moments in daily routines may offer a healthier and more fulfilling approach to the academic journey.
Perhaps it’s time to consider rewriting the narrative of success to celebrate and value living mindfully in the present and seeing the beauty of each day.
Bring balance to your routine with apps that support both productivity and wellness
In an age of endless distractions and packed schedules, finding a balance between productivity and well-being has never been more important. Whether you are a student, a professional, or someone looking to simplify your day, finding the right tools can make all the difference.
Notion
One of the most versatile options is Notion, which has gained popularity for its ability to act as a note-taking app, task manager and project organizer all in one. Its customizable templates allow users to create a workspace tailored to their needs, from tracking assignments to managing personal goals.
Notion is available on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and through a web browser, with a free plan and paid tiers starting at $8.00 per month. It is best suited for users who want a highly personalized productivity system, though it does have a bit of a learning curve. However, once users get the hang of it, it can become an invaluable tool for centralizing tasks and notes in one place.
Finch
Finch, an app focused on emotional well-being, takes a more playful and supportive approach to self-care. Users are encouraged to care for a virtual pet bird by completing real-life tasks and wellness exercises. Each completed task helps your bird grow and explore new areas, making it a lighthearted way to build healthy habits.
The app includes goal-setting features for mindfulness, hydration and exercise, and urges users to check in with themselves throughout the day. Finch is available on both iOS and Android, with a free version and an optional premium subscription costing $12.99 per month. It is a great choice for those who seek a gentle reminder to prioritize mental health, especially for users who feel overwhelmed by everyday demands.
Habitica
Habiticia takes a similar approach to turning productivity into a game. Users can create avatars, complete tasks to earn rewards and even battle in-game challenges. Available on iOS, Android and through a web browser, Habitica is free to use with optional in-app purchases.
The "gamified" system makes completing everyday tasks more engaging, particularly for individuals who thrive on game-based motivation. It's an ideal app for those who prefer a playful, interactive experience and want a bit of fun injected into their daily routines. While Habitica may not appeal to everyone, it is especially helpful for users who need a boost of motivation to tackle their to-do lists.
Owaves
For those looking to manage both their time and well-being in one place, Owaves offers a visual, circular planner designed to help users allocate time for exercise, mindfulness, sleep and social interactions alongside their work tasks. The app's interface promotes a more balanced approach to productivity by encouraging users to see their day as a holistic routine rather than a never-ending to-do list.
Available for free on iOS and Android with in-app purchases, Owaves is especially useful for individuals seeking a healthy work-life balance. Its colourful interface makes it stand out from traditional planners and helps users schedule time for self-care without feeling guilty about stepping away from their tasks.
Tweek
If you prefer a minimalist, straightforward approach to task management, Tweek might be a better fit. This digital planner organizes tasks into a weekly view, focusing on simplicity and avoiding the complexity that comes with more feature-heavy apps. Tweek is available on iOS, Android and web browsers, offering a free version as well as a premium plan starting at $4.99 per month.
The app's clean, paper-like interface makes it feel as intuitive as jotting tasks down in a notebook while providing the convenience of digital reminders and syncing across devices. Tweek is perfect for individuals who want to keep their productivity system clutter-free and efficient.
It's important for users to try different approaches to managing time, tasks and self-care in order to determine what works best for their unique needs. Whether you prefer customization, a focus on wellness or playful experiences, rest assured there is an app out there fit for you. The key to productivity in 2025 isn't about doing more, it is about working smarter and finding balance, making sure to take care of yourself in the process.
C/O Rosanna Ciulla
How the Glass Jar Refillery is giving used containers and bottles a new life to foster sustainability
By: Emma Shemko, contributor
In elementary school, most of us were taught the three Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. However, this list is missing a crucial fourth R: refill.
What does it mean to 'refill'? In terms of waste management, refilling is the act of replenishing old bottles of common household and hygiene products rather than purchasing new ones. Refilling your old containers and bottles helps to keep single-use plastics out of landfills and to prevent our oceans from being further polluted.
Refilling your old containers and bottles helps to keep single-use plastics out of landfills and to prevent our oceans from being further polluted.
Rosanna Ciulla is the owner of The Glass Jar Refillery, located at 544 Concession Street. Inspired by the Bulk Barn model, she wanted to expand the concept to include everyday household and personal care products as well. Now, Ciulla's products include laundry detergent, dental floss and hair and beard oil among many others.
Ciulla partnered with several ethical businesses to ensure everyone can find the perfect product in her store. Most of the companies she has partnered with are also local or at least based in Ontario, such as The Bare Home, Earthology and Pink Posh Fox. These companies and The Glass Jar Refillery share common values and a common mission in helping to create cleaner environments at the local community level.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic brough many challenges for Ciulla and her business. She was forced to change the location of her store, delay her grand opening and limit in-store hours and ultimately had to start as an online store. Ciulla was disappointed to miss out on in person interactions with her customers as she loves interacting with and learning from them, believing these interactions are an important part of creating a physical space where people can become more environmentally mindful.
There is so much pressure to be the perfect waste-free consumer, but a finite number of resources are available to help us do so.
The Glass Jar Refillery strives to make this shift easy and accessible, offering consumers more choices and options. With 24/7 online shopping, local delivery, access to in-store refillery services and a 10% discount for students, The Glass Jar is readily available to support the Hamilton community.
Switching to sustainable and plastic-free alternatives can be daunting at first glance, but it's not as challenging as it seems. There are three main steps which fall under what Ciulla calls environmental mindfulness that can help simply this transition.
"We have to be cautious and we have to be aware of how precarious our situation is. We take [living on this Earth] for granted. And our actions speak louder than words. We need to be very careful. When they say, "practice mindfulness," I think mindfulness can also be applied to Mother Earth," explained Ciulla.
"We have to be cautious and we have to be aware of how precarious our situation is. We take [living on this Earth] for granted. And our actions speak louder than words. We need to be very careful. When they say, "practice mindfulness," I think mindfulness can also be applied to Mother Earth."
Rosanna Ciulla, Owner of The Glass Jar Refillery
For Ciulla, how we decide to interact with Mother Earth is a form of environmental activism and this type of activism begins with our habits as consumers.
The first step is to create a collection of items that can be used to refill your essential products. Pickle jars, shampoo or conditioner bottles and empty candles are perfect refilling options.
The second step is to observe how you live: what products are you continuously buying? What areas of your home use the most plastic? Is it your kitchen? Maybe it's your bathroom?
The third and final step is to remind yourself that you don't have to make these switches all at once. Start by refilling your dish soap one month and see how it goes. Then try switching to refillable laundry detergent the next month and so on.
The beauty of Ciulla's store is that you can purchase as much or as little product as needed.
"If you want to try a new product that you're unsure of, just try three quarters or a quarter of your bottle and then come back and say, "Hey, I want to fill up the rest of it"," explained Ciulla.
Ciulla is looking forward to what the future holds for her store and is hopeful that she will soon have more days throughout the week where customers can shop in-store. She has many plans ahead, including creating a starter kit for students because she knows how busy our schedules can get and wants to help us become conscious and environmentally mindful consumers.
“I'm just excited about what the glass jar is and will become. I think it's just starting to flourish. I'm excited to see where it goes next and I've got some exciting plans for it," said Ciulla.
C/O Youssef Naddam, Unsplash
New psychoeducational groups at the Student Wellness Centre starting this month
Psychoeducational groups are designed to focus on teaching a specific topic with an emphasis on developing healthy coping mechanisms.
This month, McMaster University’s Student Wellness Centre is launching multiple psychoeducational groups. This includes the Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness group, the Love Better group and the Understanding & Managing Social Anxiety group.
Psychoeducational groups at McMaster have been done in the past by counselors, health promoters or SWC staff. Simone Gomes, a counselor at SWC and facilitator of the Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness group, explained that these groups are developed by these professionals based on their area of expertise and interest.
Starting Jan. 12, Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness is a consecutive five-week psychoeducational group that dives into what self-compassion and mindfulness mean and how students can develop these things in their lives.
It will take place online on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Gomes explained that each of the five weeks highlights a different area within this topic. This includes introducing self-compassion and mindfulness, identifying self-criticism, practicing mindfulness and techniques to integrate that into one’s life.
Each session will aim to be informative by having students read articles or a particular website for discussion prior to entering the session. Gomes stated that this particular group tends to run once per semester (including spring and summer) and if curious, folks can contact her at [email protected].
“With self-compassion, what’s really great is that it helps to acknowledge our experience and to name it — that we are struggling or we’re experiencing difficulty in our lives. But then it also helps us to think about common humanity too and to look at other people struggling as well [and think] maybe I am not alone in this experience,” said Gomes.
“With self-compassion, what’s really great is that it helps to acknowledge our experience and to name it — that we are struggling or we’re experiencing difficulty in our lives. But then it also helps us to think about common humanity too and to look at other people struggling as well [and think] maybe I am not alone in this experience.”
Simone Gomes, counselor at The SWC and facilitator of Fostering Self-Compassion and Mindfulness
Also starting Jan. 12, Love Better is another consecutive five-week psychoeducational group. This group will run online on Wednesday mornings from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Liz Nabi, a counselor at the SWC and facilitator for this group, explained that this group aims to educate students about healthy relationships and help them build skills that are crucial in developing these relationships.
Over the weeks, the group will touch base on qualities of healthy and unhealthy relationships, the effect of past relationships on current relationships, tools to build long-lasting relationships and how to deal with conflict and/or breakups.
Nabi emphasized that love is not just a feeling but a skill that one can get better at with practice and that sentiment was actually the inspiration behind the group's name.
“I decided to run a relationship group because this is really a phase of life where dating/intimate relationships start to become a main focus for students. Students often describe wanting to have really positive, healthy relationships yet at times struggle to develop the types of relationships they want. We know that the health of our relationships has a big impact on our overall mental health and well-being,” said Nabi.
"We know that the health of our relationships has a big impact on our overall mental health and well-being."
Liz Nabi, counselor at the SWC and facilitator of Love Better
Nabi shared that Love Better may also be running a second time in March. If students are unable to join the group in January, they can keep an eye out for the second recruitment.
Those who are interested or have questions can contact Nabi at [email protected].
Starting on Jan. 19, Understanding & Managing Social Anxiety is a four week group that uses a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy and narrative skills therapy to explore social anxiety and strategies to cope.
This program will run Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Within the four weeks, four different topics will be covered. This includes defining social anxiety, models of social anxiety, self-reflection about one's own boundaries and understanding the implications shame has on one’s self. These concepts will be tied together at the end with an activity called Life Map where students will highlight significant people or events that shape their social anxiety.
If interested, students can contact Morgan Lucas, a facilitator for this group, at [email protected].
The variety of psychoeducational groups provided by the SWC gives students the opportunity to target specific topics they would like to work on. Aside from the groups mentioned in this article, other groups such as Embracing Gender Diversity and Mindfulness approach to Food and Eating are also available starting in January. For a full list of programs offered by the SWC, students can visit https://wellness.mcmaster.ca/programs/.
