Being a college student comes with many ups and downs and often brings a very full and busy schedule that is all your own. It is often the first time you are experiencing this level of independence, being away from your parents, and adjusting to a new kind of school schedule that can be difficult to balance and organize. And that is okay, everyone around you is experiencing something similar, you are not alone. With all of the new found responsibilities that come with being a college student it is important to have at least one thing remain consistent. The sunday reset could be a simple way to add some consistency to your ever changing routine. Colleges are taking notice of the Sunday Reset and are promoting it to their students as well.  The University of Miami has a newspaper called “The Miami Student '' that published a student blog discussing the reset and some tips for their students (Grant). The Miami Student The University of Massachusetts also has a short article, UMass Weekly Reset, on their student success page that is directed more for setting up assignments and due dates for the upcoming week rather than resetting your space.

What is a Sunday reset?

 A Sunday reset is the idea that for however long it takes, one day a week you reset your space, whether that be your dorm, your apartment, or even your bedroom if you commute. While it is traditionally called a Sunday Reset, it does not have to be done on a Sunday. Why it is usually conducted on a Sunday is to mentally signify the end of the past week and set you up for a new week on a clean slate. The beautiful thing about this is that you can make it your own and make it just right for your individual needs, goals, and your lifestyle. It is common for students who life on campus at college to have at least one roommate meaning you have a significant amount of shared space. So how do you reset with a roommate?  There are a few ways you could still implement this in a shared space. One way could be to have a conversation and educate your roommate about the Sunday Reset and they could want to do it as well, that way you can both start your weeks off fresh. If that is not something they want to implement into their schedules, that is okay, everyone has their own way of doing things, but that does not mean you can't. Lilliana Celesitino is a college student who lives with a roommate that was assigned at random. In cases like this you know little to nothing about the person you will be sharing a room with often in fairly small spaces. Her roommate did not feel the need to reset her space on Sundays like Lilliana recommended. Instead of doing it together, she does her own side of the room and any common area that she uses frequently. While I understand it can be challenging if you have a roommate that may not be as neat as you are, that is okay! Focus on you and what you need to be successful. It is shown that having a clean space can have many benefits for students.

Why would I want to do that?

There are many benefits to a Sunday Reset but don't just take my word for it, I’m going to include some other sources and data to show you the benefits of the reset. A clean space provides so many benefits mentally, academically, and even physically. Carl Pullein has an article published in Medium about productivity boosting benefits of having a clean space. While this article is more centered around businesses and employees, there are some things we as students can take away from this. Pullein discusses that a clean space can lead to less sick days, saving time, and improved concentration. Clutter can lead to more dust and dirt which can be bad for your health, wiping down surfaces can limit these things. He claims that you'll save time by not searching for what you need and it will just be in the correct space, which leads to improved concentration due to not being distracted by any clutter around your (Pullein). As a student I cannot think of anything I need more than time itself, it never seems like the day has enough hours so anything that I can do to give myself some more time, I’m in. Students from all over the country can agree that cleanliness matters.

To give you some statistics to back up the benefits that I’m telling you, Pritchard conducted a study with college students and reported that “Around 88% of students say unclean spaces are distracting and disruptive. Additionally, one study found that 84% of students believe a spotless college campus improves their focus, while 78% say it benefits their health by reducing the spread of germs”. Mentally, it is easy for our studies to take a toll on our mental health and I know I am always looking for ways to ease some stress in my time as a student. The Harvard Business Review has an article on the importance of cleaning your desk but this quote stood out to me the most: “Cluttered spaces can have negative effects on our stress and anxiety levels, as well as our ability to focus, our eating choices, and even our sleep.” Cluttered spaces can worsen or clutter minds, and with an endless amount of due dates and deadlines that there is always going to be clutter. It is important to do the best you can to limit that clutter, physically and mentally, and stay organized can help keep the mind clean and organized as well.

According to Building Maintenance of Tomorrow, focus is crucial when trying to do anything academic, and it was found that a cluttered environment can also “negatively affect one's ability to focus and process information.” I also wanted to conduct some of my own research, and had college student Lilliana that was mentioned above to participate in a Sunday Reset one week and then skip it the next and see if she felt that resetting her space made a difference. When we spoke again she said, “I had to do my Sunday Reset on Wednesday after skipping my usual day because the mess was making me so stressed.” I know how skipping my reset day makes me feel, so it was validating to hear that others feel a very similar way. Sometimes simply cleaning up can be just the mood booster you need to get a head start on your week.