As a college student, what takes up most of your time? Homework? Your job? Sleeping?

Having responsibilities obviously consumes a lot of the day, but what do you do with the rest of it? Stress piles up from these normal everyday activities, so what can you do about it? Studies show that using your free time wisely greatly improves your overall happiness and well-being.

Screwing around on your phone or computer doesn’t count. Finding hobbies that you immerse yourself in and enjoy can give you more control over your life, simply because leisure time is self-determined. You aren’t under the stress of a deadline and can go at your own pace. Setting personal goals and finding a simple sense of accomplishment improves self-esteem immensely.

Surround yourself with good people. While most hobbies are done solitarily, others are done socially. Feeling a sense of community and togetherness with a group of people you trust is vitally important to your sense of belonging.

Detaching yourself from your day-to-day life can also be satisfying. Kicking back and enjoying the outdoors away from all technology can be beneficial to finding that balance between your work life and leisure time. You need to determine how far to push yourself and when to step back and relax.

These are just a few different tips to help you make your free time more constructive.

So stop binge-watching Netflix and go outside. It’s a big world out there, fam. Don’t rush anything and take it all in. Live life. Enjoy every moment you have.

It doesn’t last forever. So if you’re still reading this, it’s not too late to make a change.