The latest wellness trend, the ‘dopamine menu’, is taking over my TikTok. I love the concept. It’s the idea that we should approach wellness like food: it’s essential, but you can make it as spicy or bland as you choose. Wellness can feel impossible during term time and, to be honest, if you are as impatient as me, 30 minutes of meditation is more of a punishment than a reward. So, can the dopamine menu be applied to the lifestyle of a Cambridge student? I present to you my Michaelmas menu: manageable and cheap little tasters of wellness, that might just take the edge off that week five meltdown.

Starters

Endorphin entrées. These should be approached like a tasting menu: little and often.

Pidge poetry: When time is of the essence, this is one of my favourites. It started when my friend left a silly little handwritten poem in my pidge to cheer me up. Since then, we have been constantly pidging snacks or cheeky notes back and forth. Sending and receiving these little gifts is guaranteed to brighten up your day.

Touching grass: Essential. Cambridge is stunning in Autumn: the leaves are turning, the mornings are cold and bright. What better way to cure brain fog than wrapping up, grabbing a coffee, and freeing yourself from the shackles of Sidge by taking a little stroll?

“After your study sesh, you get to unleash all manner of gossip, wisdom and comedy gold”

Study dates: Ordinarily, I would never put these two words in the same sentence. However, when deadlines are looming, there’s a simple solution to make work more bearable: good company and a new location. There are so many libraries, coffee shops and colleges to work in, so switch it up!

I will admit, my concentration is sub-par when I’m studying with friends. To combat the perpetual curse of being a Yap-asaurus, my tip is to use a ‘yap sheet’. If someone has something to say whilst you’re studying, they write it on a communal sheet. After your study sesh, you get to go through the sheet and unleash all manner of gossip, wisdom and comedy gold. There’s nothing quite like the power of delayed gratification!

Mains

It’s week five. You are losing touch with the outside world. Under the electric lights of the library it could be 11pm or 8am. After realising you are still only half way through your reading list, you’re on the verge of a major sense of humour failure. Time to bring out the big guns.

The dinner party: Always a winner. It can feel extraneous to cook something more complex than pesto pasta, but I promise it is always worth it. Grab some cheap wine, cook (or recruit someone who can cook) and invite a handful of lovely people over for dinner. Student kitchens are not the most aesthetic setting, but the simple act of carving out time to sit around a table, slow down, laugh and enjoy a proper meal is so necessary.

Societies: We all go to the Freshers’ Fair, collect some tote bags, and then ultimately forget to go to half of the things we’ve signed up for. There are so many societies to try: if you are feeling stuck, try something you would never usually do! It gets you out of your head, out of the usual routine and gives you something to focus on besides your degree.

Leave Cambridge: I rarely have time to go all the way home, but by the end of term I am desperate for a change of scenery. Even if it’s only for half a day, it can be so refreshing to escape by going with a friend on a little trip somewhere outside of Cambridge. Visiting Ely only costs £3 on the train and takes less than 20 minutes. London is also less than an hour away by train.

Desserts

This is as sophisticated as social time gets. Welcome to the créme de la créme of wellness activities.

“If you’re a passenger princess like me, befriend people with good balance and solid upper body strength (neither of which are my forte)”

Formal swap: Once the mandatory photos have been posted and are replaced by a flood of reading lists and emails, there comes a turning point in Michaelmas when the glow of Cambridge starts to fade. It is easy to become immune to the casual beauty and privileges we get to experience everyday in Cambridge colleges. Only here can we dress up and have formal dinners so frequently. Formal swaps are the best way, especially in first year, to meet new people and see different colleges.

Punting: A quick caveat: this is only really relaxing for me if someone else is doing the punting. If you’re a passenger princess like me, befriend people with good balance and solid upper body strength (neither of which are my forte).

Cultural canapés: See a show at the ADC. Watch some live music. Go to the Fitzwilliam Museum. There’s so much talent in Cambridge, so keep an eye open for it!