Every New Year comes with a resolution that usually doesn't end up fulfilled. In order to ensure you're not setting yourself up for promises you will never keep, here are some tips you can follow to keep yourself on the right track for this year. They'll also help you to develop and grow as a person.
1. Don't hold grudges.
At the end of the day, you can't change what others have done to you. However, you can change how you react to them. For once, be the better person. They'll only make you bitter and angry and that's no way to live your life.
2. Put the past behind you. Accept your flaws.
In college, people talk, and rumors will arise. It's inevitable. Regardless of how many people look at you like they think they know something about you, or they remember something that you don't remember doing, they're not worth your time. Dwelling on it will only make you feel bad about yourself and you shouldn't let them do that.
3. Strive to be a better person. Focus on yourself.
Although it may not always be easy, and you may not always want to, but you should want to be the best person you can be. Now, I don't mean to aim for perfection, but if you happen to notice a flaw or action you're not necessarily proud of, try to correct it in the future. Whether that means eat less junk, get drunk less frequently, or even try to stop procrastinating as much as you do.
4. Set an attainable goal for yourself.
As you're preparing for your life goals in college, it can be a stressful process. Choosing what you want to do with a large chunk of your life at such a young age is terrifying. However, there are some short-term goals you can set for yourself while in college to ease some of the fear you may experience. Whether it be making more friends, going to the gym more, or pursuing an interest you may not have be confident enough to do. And don't have it be like your New Year's Resolution, where you don't even remember what you said it would be a month later.
5. Try new things, or at least something you wouldn't normally do.
The college atmosphere is the perfect place to thrust yourself into new interests and clubs. It was possible in high school, but the options are much less enticing. For example, you could be a science major and still write for the school newspaper or a business major and try out for the theater production. Don't restrict yourself to certain groups of people because that's how it felt in high school. College is a completely different environment.
6. Put yourself out there.
You don't have to restrict yourself to only being friends with people in your major or on your floor. Talk to people in your core classes, someone who's sitting alone in the dining hall, someone you've seen hanging around your lounge, or at parties. You'd be amazed with all the different perspectives and personalities you will meet if you step out of your comfort zone.
7. Have no regrets.
Far easier said than done, but true, nonetheless. I've lived my entire life in fear, which leaves me looking back at my experiences with regret and shame that I didn't take more risks. You don't want to be thinking back to college and wonder what would've happened if you had the courage to do something. Take the next step and find out.
8. Make sure happiness is your top priority.
What's the purpose of life if you're not happy and able to enjoy it? Your year will be miserable if you keep up the miserable attitude. If you're currently unhappy, make it your goal to be more optimistic. You won't get far in life if you don't think you have the potential to.
9. Make mistakes. They're bound to happen.
"If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." A large part of life consists of making mistakes. They happen to the best of us and there's nothing you can do to prevent it. All that's left is to learn from your errors. You can only do better from there.
10. If all else fails, you still have next year!
