A Guide to Avoiding Sunday Scaries in College

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at St. John's chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

It always hits around the same time, the sun starts setting, your to-do list suddenly looks a mile long and that familiar Sunday dread starts creeping in. The Sunday Scaries are real, and in college, they hit even harder. Between upcoming exams, club meetings and figuring out how to feed yourself for another week, it’s easy to feel like your weekend freedom is slipping away way too fast.

But Sundays don’t have to feel scary. With the right routine, they can actually become your calmest, most grounding day; a mini reset before the chaos of Monday starts.

Start Slow, But Start

Sleeping in a little is fine (you deserve it), but try not to let the morning completely disappear. Starting your day around the same time each week, even if it’s later than usual, helps your brain ease into the day without the guilt of “wasting” it.

Once you’re up, do one small productive thing first. Start a load of laundry, unload the dishwasher or make your bed. Knocking out one easy task gives you a sense of control early on, which can actually help ease anxiety about the week ahead. 

Plan for Your Week

If your Sunday Scaries usually come from thinking about everything you have to do, writing it all down can help more than you think. Grab a planner (the Waav planner is a favorite for its simple layout and space for goals) or even a blank page, and map out what’s due, what’s happening, and what can wait.

When everything’s on paper, it stops living rent-free in your head. You can even add a few things you’re excited for like a club event, a dinner with friends or a new episode of your favorite show coming out. Balancing the stressful with the exciting reminds you that the week isn’t just about responsibilities.

Reset Your Space, Reset Your Mind

The environment you start your week in really matters. Clean off your desk, switch out that pile of clothes on your chair (we all have one) and restock your snacks or groceries for the week. Doing a light clean on Sunday, not a full deep-clean, just a reset, can help your space feel fresh instead of chaotic.

If you live at home or in an apartment, grocery shopping on Sundays can be a quiet ritual too. Having your meals planned or prepped makes the week less stressful and helps you avoid last-minute takeout splurges (even though the temptation never leaves). 

Find Your Comfort Ritual

Once the chores are done, make the rest of your Sunday feel like a treat. Take your “everything shower,” use your favorite products (the Tree Hut vanilla body butter is my personal favorite), put on cozy pajamas and do something comforting.

Watch a feel-good show like “How I Met Your Mother” (my favorite), “Gilmore Girls” or “Parks and Recreation”. Bake something, call a friend or light a candle and relax. Whatever makes you feel most like yourself, do that. The way you spend your Sunday sets the tone for the rest of your week.

Ease Into Monday With Intention

End the night by getting yourself ready for the next day. Pick out your outfit, pack your bag and maybe set one goal you want to focus on for the week. Not ten, not five, just one. Something simple, like “I want to get ahead on readings” or “I want to go on a walk between classes.” It’s a small way to shift from anxious to intentional.

Because the truth is, the Sunday Scaries never fully go away. But when you start seeing Sundays as a chance to reset and not something to just survive, they lose a lot of their power. You don’t have to have a “perfect” Sunday routine to feel ready for Monday. You just need one that reminds you that you’re capable, prepared and allowed to rest.