A New Year’s Resolution is great in theory, but by January 7th you’re back to doing exactly the thing you did not want to do anymore. That is why this New Year I give you ten things to do instead of trying to hold on to a vague resolution:

1. Make a platonic friend.

Emphasis on the word, platonic. Too often we find ourselves searching for new relationships that we imagine to have a romantic ending. Often we forget the true value of a good friend. We all need someone to share a simple laugh with and grab a cup of coffee with before class. A new friends could not only improve your new year, but make it that much more enjoyable.

2. Forget Netflix and chill.

Okay, I know I just said focus on finding non-romantic relationships, but we do all need love every now and then. So stop settling for the guy who only texts you past midnight. You will feel so much better about yourself and your decision if you do not let people chip away at who you really are and the things that really matter to you. If Netflix and Chill is your thing, more power to you, but if all you really want is a nice coffee date, then wait for the person who will buy you coffee. Don’t worry, they''re out there.

3. Take a dance class.

Unfortunately, "get skinny" is too common of a resolution, but rarely do we just decide to be healthy. Getting started is always the hardest part. That is why you should make the first step to getting healthy engaging in one thing to get active. So maybe it doesn't necessarily have to be a dance class, but it is almost always easier to work out in a group setting with someone there to encourage you. Try a yoga class, a spinning class or even kickboxing. Get into a class this next year and find what you love to do and get healthy while you do it.

4. Volunteer.

We all want to make money (especially as broke college students), but this year try and find an organization or nonprofit that fights for a cause that really interests you and give them some of your time for free. There is something magical about advocating for a mission that really touches your heart. Sometimes what we need is to get out of our comfort zone and do something for the greater good. That will leave you feeling a little more fulfilled at the end of your year.

5. Plan a trip.

I am a self-described travel junkie, but you don’t have to have wanderlust coming out of your ears to have a little sense of adventure. Get off of campus for a weekend and go somewhere with your friends. I know we all love planning that dream European trip that would take course over the span of two months and involves a lot of French cheeses and hot Italian men. Yet no one in college has the time or money to do anything like that anytime soon. You don’t have to go far to discover a new place. Go to the beach, go camping or just get in the car and go. Sometimes all we need is a little break away from the hustle of campus with our friends for a few days of discovery and good fun. This will provide you with some of your favorite memories that you will have all year to look back on.

6. Find a new favorite album.

Whenever I am feeling a little blue, like when it’s raining hard outside or that English portfolio is looming over my head, I like to take a moment and listen to some music. It’s a brain break from whatever you are thinking about. Discovering new music is always exciting as well. I love getting suggestions from my friends who tend to listen to different music than I do and find something that I really connect with or just enjoy. Right now I am listening to Because the Internet by Childish Gambino, an album I would have never found had it not been for my friend. There is nothing like appreciating a little art to make you look at things differently.

7. Learn another language.

Ever had a burning passion to learn Russian? Or maybe you dream of being able to converse with that German exchange student on your floor. Either way it is time to get started. Nothing expands your horizons more than appreciating new cultures and today you don’t need to take a class to learn a new language. There are so many different apps that you can get on your phone to start picking up new words. Try an app like Duolingo to get started and by the end of 2016 you will impress everyone with your ability to ask where the bathroom is in Portuguese.

8. Focus on your studies (for real).

Now this one seems self-explanatory, but from personal experience I feel so much more balanced in everyday life when I am doing well in school. This means letting go of FOMO every now and then and staying in to study for that Biochemistry midterm. Plan out your study schedule each week and actually keep to it. That way you won’t feel guilty going out to dinner with your friends or stressed when you’re binge watching How I Met Your Mother at 2 a.m. because your studying for the day would be done. Think of the long term effects as well. We can never erase dead week stress all together, but knowing that you have been studying all quarter instead of just at the end will put your mind at ease.

9. Start a journal…and keep up with it.

I have about fifteen journals from childhood that have two used pages and a whole lot of blank ones. I could never consistently keep up with it, but in my first quarter of college I realized that everything moved so fast that I needed to write it down just to keep up. Writing for me has always been therapeutic and I feel that taking time to quietly just write down thoughts or anything significant from my day can really help me process the crazy chaos of college. Then at the end of next year you will have physical evidence of all the ups and downs and your overall growth of the past year and you do not know how thankful you will be for that until you have it.

Finally!

10. Let go of all your past regrets.

This is the hardest one to do. It is easy to say "I am starting over." It is even harder to keep true to your word. So try and forget all your regrets of 2015, tomorrow is not only a new day, but a new year that you have made it to. So do not carry the burdens of the past into a new year. Learn to forgive the people who hurt you and learn to forgive yourself because in the end the past is just that, passed and gone.

So maybe there is no such thing as a fresh start, but there is such a thing as growth and getting better. Do not hold yourself to a big resolution you know you will never keep true to. Try something new, pursue a long lost interest and learn to appreciate the little things (even if it's cliché) because 2016 is a new year with 365 days of golden opportunity to become the person you really want to be.