Coping with Monday Blues

 Hello everyone and welcome back to a fresh new month <3

Being a teenager is like being stuck in a cycle.
Wake up-Brush-Eat-School-Tuition-Homework-Dinner-Late night studies-Repeat.

Every week, the same thing over and over and over; it never stops.

I got into this cycle back in March 2020(start of 9th grade) and haven't had a 'full proper no tuitions, no padhai vacations' ever since. There's always something or the other - studying for school, boards, extracurriculars, and occasionally hanging out with friends.

But I would say that pretty much sums up the lives we all lead (at least Indian students ) after 8th grade.

Personally, I've felt a little blah at times. Especially when I count something week-wise (eg: "I'm going to start studying for my 30-page Organic Chemistry exam next week onwards")

Some Sundays I would be like:
Ah man, another week of this - the deadline comes closer.

After being stuck in this loop a while, I decided, 
Life can't go on like this. You need to take control.

And though I haven't mastered the art of beating Monday Blues, hopefully authoring this post will prompt me (as well as you) to!

Enough introduction,
Let's dive into it!

Firstly,

What are "Monday Blues"?

Stemming from a rather happening weekend, Monday blues are a reminder of your life going back into stagnancy - a routine.

As a teen, it's a notification in the back of your head that says - Yay, you're diving in to juggle and survive, yet another week.
Same old school, same old pattern.

When the party mood goes away, and hustle mode turns on, it drains a person emotionally about what they’ve accomplished in the time off.
And this goes for adults too - trust me!

How to beat Teenage "Monday Blues"?

• Though the weekend is meant for sleep-deprived students to recover the same, lost throughout the week, it's probably the worst thing to do. 
  
  Say your typical sleep schedule through the working week is between 12-6am.
  On the weekend, it changes to 2am - 12 noon.
  When you stay up late for 2 days a week regularly, it messes with your circadian rhythm, thereby making it difficult for your body to follow a proper sleep cycle and conduct its biological changes properly. 
  Maintain a balance.
  
  This is an essential element when it comes to your grogginess on Mondays.
  Therefore, don't abruptly change your cycle on the weekend, rather just extend it slightly.
• Support one other
  We're all stuck in the same loop. Send your friend a reminder on a Monday that they'll slay (the lingo) the week! If you do it, chances are, your friend will too and it simply acts as a motivation for both of you :)
  
  
• Plan something productive on a Monday
  I usually write my blog posts on Monday for this reason. 
  Despite it being the first day of the week, and having a bulk load of stuff to accomplish over the week, checking this activity off from my to-do list gets me going.
  
  It keeps me motivated through the day that I have something fun to go home to and I'd advise you to find a similar hobby! 
  
  And also, plan your week on the previous weekend so you aren't overwhelmed on the first day of the week and strike off what you've accomplished on Sundays!
• Maybe it's more than Mondays.
  Journal your feelings or talk to someone if you feel that these aren't Monday blues but an ongoing period of Anxiety. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
  
  These were a few things I tried that helped me quite a lot so I really hope it works for you too!
  Again, it won't happen in a day - trust the process.
  
  Don't forget to share and follow for more!
  
  Signing off,
  Kuhu :)