How I Romanticize College Life Without Losing Myself
College is often sold as “the best years of your life” — a time to discover who you are, meet new people, and create endless memories. But what they don’t tell you is how easy it is to lose yourself in the process — to get swept up in deadlines, social pressure, and the endless chase to prove that you’re doing enough.
When I first started college, I wanted to romanticize every second — the late-night study sessions, the coffee-fueled mornings, the spontaneous outings. But somewhere in between all the “shoulds,” I realized that romanticizing life wasn’t about aesthetic perfection — it was about presence.
1. Slowing Down on Purpose
I’ve learned that slowing down is a form of rebellion in a world that glorifies exhaustion. I romanticize college by making time to just be.
Some mornings, I sit by my window with my iced coffee, watching the sunlight stretch across my desk. No music, no multitasking — just me and the quiet. Those small pauses remind me that I’m not behind; I’m alive.
Romanticizing life isn’t about having it all together — it’s about finding gratitude in the in-between moments, even when everything feels uncertain.
2. Creating Rituals That Feel Like Home
College life can feel chaotic — new schedules, new faces, new responsibilities. So I’ve built small rituals that keep me grounded.
For me, it’s journaling before class. It’s lighting a candle while I study. It’s walking to my favorite café on Fridays and ordering my usual — an iced brown sugar shaken espresso with oat milk, extra pumps of brown sugar, and vanilla cold foam (because comfort can be ritual too).
Those small consistencies help me return to myself when everything else feels temporary.
3. Curating My Energy, Not Just My Space
There’s a lot of pressure to curate your life in college — the perfect dorm, the perfect feed, the perfect group of friends. But the older I get, the more I realize it’s not about how it looks — it’s about how it feels.
I choose softness. I choose honesty. I choose the kind of energy that feeds me rather than drains me. That means saying no when I need to, prioritizing rest, and not feeling guilty for protecting my peace.
4. Finding Beauty in Routine
There’s poetry in repetition if you look closely enough. Doing laundry on Sundays. Wiping down your desk. Making your bed.
It’s all sacred in its own way — a reminder that life doesn’t have to be extraordinary to be meaningful.
Romanticizing my college life means noticing the ordinary — the laughter that echoes down dorm hallways, the hum of a busy campus, the soft ache of growing up in real time.
5. Staying True to Myself
The hardest part about college is figuring out who you are when no one’s watching. There are so many versions of you that people expect — the “put-together student,” the “fun friend,” the “achiever.”
But I’ve learned to stop performing and start existing.
To let myself be real — tired, messy, happy, unsure — all of it.
Because the truth is, I don’t need to fit into every space. Some spaces just aren’t made for me, and that’s okay.
Closing Reflection
Romanticizing college life isn’t about making it look perfect — it’s about finding peace in the imperfection. It’s about looking around, in the middle of all the chaos, and realizing: this moment matters, too.
I’m learning to love this version of me — the one who’s growing, healing, and still figuring it out.
Because even in the uncertainty, there’s beauty.
And even in the busy, there’s stillness — if you’re willing to look for it.
