As-Salaam Alaikum - Struggling with desires, need some advice
السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ I'm a young Muslimah living in the West. Lately I've been feeling closer to Allah swt for reasons I won't go into. Alhamdulillah I'm a hijabi and I've been trying to improve my modesty - wearing looser clothes, skirts, and stopping makeup (I never wore heavy makeup, just a little before). It's really tough doing this at a top university surrounded by non-Muslims. Listening to Islamic lectures has helped me stay grounded and more aware of my deen. I wanted to do more, so I also gave up listening to music. It's been over a month now and honestly it's driving me a little crazy. I used to need background music to focus when studying or something in my ears when walking. Now it feels like there's an empty space. I try to listen to Qur'an or lectures, but sometimes I miss my old playlist and that rush of euphoria I felt with certain songs. Any tips on coping with that void? I used to listen to a lot of K-pop, and stopping feels like a constant temptation whenever a group releases a song or does an event. I even had a celebrity crush, so I made a conscious choice to lower my gaze and stop following him. But he still appears on fan accounts sometimes, so I keep unfollowing and taking breaks. I've actually deleted my social media for now because it was hurting my mental health. The struggle is that every time I see him I find him somehow more attractive, but I keep trying to lower my gaze. How should I handle that pull? Part of what stops me from giving in is fear of Allah on the Day of Judgment - I don't want to stand before Him and be unable to justify my actions. I also have moments when I feel like it could be my last night, and panic about not having done enough for the akhira. That pushes me to stay disciplined, but it's hard. If anyone has practical advice - small steps, routines, things that helped you replace music or detach from celebrity culture, or ways to calm the panic about akhirah while staying motivated - please share. Jazakum Allahu khayran.