How I’m making a homework-filled reading week enjoyable

Happy reading week U of T! For my break, I’m staying in damp and chilly Toronto and trying desperately to catch up on homework. While at first I assumed this would cause a disappointing vacation, I’m managing to make it enjoyable by finding small ways to express my creativity and make myself happy.

Taking myself out for lunch or spending some time in a café doing homework has been one of these ways. My psychology homework is always more rewarding when I have a fancy latte by my side, and I find literature readings all the more immersive if I’m eating savoury dumplings while I flip through the pages. I suggest checking out Kensington Market if you’re in search of places to do this, there are so many hidden gems there that remind you of why Toronto is such a great city. If I’m too broke to go out but still want an exciting flavour for my coffee, I’ve also started trying out combinations of things that I find in my cupboard, like adding a bit of vanilla extract and a tea bag to my morning brew, or taking the time to whip some cream into a foam. There have been misses, but there have been rewarding hits as well! Trying out new recipes in the kitchen can also be fun for meals. Personally, I’ve been trying to eat healthier by looking for meals to experiment with making veggies taste better. I like to choose a recipe and then go out and buy the missing ingredients. However, if you’re lazy or have no money there’s this useful website that provides you with a list of available foods to make based on the contents of your kitchen. I also did something rather childish but entertaining nonetheless – I built a blanket fort! All this required of me was to clear off a lot of the surfaces in my room and throw all my pillows on the floor. A little bit of a hassle, but once I got my lava lamp in there, my childhood dreams came true and I was writing an essay in a warm padded tent. Tomorrow I’m going to try out home-made face masks for the first time while I write up an annotated bibliography. Using oatmeal, yogurt and an egg, I’m hoping to make my skin nice and soft. Finally, recently I have found that listening to classical music while doing difficult homework has helped me focus, so I’ve been exploring the genre in search of my favourite pieces, making playlists to listen to as I’m finishing up some assignments. Not only has this helped me feel productive, but it has added a whole new world of music for me to explore, which is always a plus.

How do you make a presumably boring day more fulfilling?