It’s four o’clock on Sunday afternoon, and you’ve finally kicked the nasty hangover Why Not inflicted you with last night. But instead of feeling rejuvenated, you find yourself fighting a rising tide of anxiety. The reason? Your laptop sits on your desk, uncharged and unopened despite your midterm essay being due this Wednesday, and you still haven’t completed the hoovering your flat cleaning rota demands of you. It’s a case of the Sunday Scaries, with all the classic symptoms.
According to Headspace, the Sunday Scaries are feelings of stress and dread that start to creep up on us as we transition from a fun weekend back into the grind of uni life. The general unhappiness many feel at the thought of having to sit through their boring Monday morning tutorial is compounded with the realization that they weren’t as productive as they should have been over the weekend. Apprehension about the coming week appears very common in young adults, with one poll claiming that 74 per cent of Britons between the ages of 18-24 experience this phenomenon. It can be easy to blame yourself for these feelings — after all, if you hadn’t spent Saturday morning doomscrolling on Instagram reels, you would have made it to Cameron Toll and meal prepped for the week. But when students must juggle coursework, jobs, relationships, society events, and self care, burnout is understandable. Counteracting weariness through self-care and setting oneself up for success in the coming week should therefore be a student’s priority each Sunday.
Buzzwords aside, self-care is a crucial component of a productive life. Acts of self-care can range from meditation and yoga to ones that lift your heart rate and your spirits. Getting outside, perhaps on a walk with a friend or to read a book in the meadows, will do wonders for the fatigued student’s energy levels. Edinburgh is not known for its abundance of good weather days, so staying inside with a mug of tea and your journal by your side might be a better plan. This could be the perfect Sunday to pop on your favourite movie, or cook a meal that reminds you of home — may I suggest my latest autumnal obsession, chili con carne! When you are intentional about recharging your emotional batteries each Sunday, the week ahead no longer seems so impossible to conquer. You may even muster enough energy to get a start on that essay.
Setting yourself up for success in the coming week is another great way to beat Sunday anxiety. I often find it helpful to write down all my upcoming tasks and coursework on a sticky note and make a rough schedule for when I plan to tick off each item. Planning outings with friends for the coming days will also add structure to your week and supply you with an exciting reason to power through dreary Monday lectures.
You have the power to banish Sunday Scaries once and for all, so next time the clock strikes four, close Tiktok and swipe to Notion or your group chat instead.
Image by Amelia Patterson (@patt_paints) for The Student
