As the calendar quickly moves from December to January, many people start thinking about New Year's resolutions that they can aim for in the new year. These often range from "exercise more" to "eat healthier," or maybe even just, "stop forgetting to charge my phone overnight."

Whatever your preferred resolution is, if you go to UVa, then you know there's a lot of things that UVa students "intend" to do every year, but simply forget or are too lazy to do. With that, I bring you several resolutions that, in my advanced third-year mind, might just be showing up on many UVa students' lists this January.

1. Actually try every restaurant on the Downtown mall

As a UVa student for the past 2.5 years, I've become somewhat of a wannabe foodie, in that I keep meaning to become a food buff but just can't find the time. I'm not the first to point out that Charlottesville is absolutely bursting with amazing restaurants, and I had a vague goal a while ago of wanting to try a new one every month. I may have to stretch out this goal a bit, but the adventurous sentiment is still there.

2. Make it to more than one UVa basketball game, finally

Every UVa student who's been tirelessly racking up Sabre Points by going to football games for five minutes is hoping that their efforts will pay off with basketball tickets later in the school year. I was pretty unlucky last year and, despite putting in for about four different basketball games, only got tickets to one, but some people aren't even that fortunate.

3. Study in the Rotunda without getting distracted by the beautiful Dome Room

I can count on one hand the number of times that I've productively studied in the Rotunda. It's exactly twice. Every time I've gone in there, I just end up people-watching and gazing at the walls, thinking that I'm so artsy for deciding to "study" in such a pretty place. It's times like this that the barren wasteland of Clem 1 might come in handy.

4. Use more than half of my (always disappointing) meal plan

Let's be honest, no UVa student has a meal plan because they adore the quality of the food. I personally have one for convenience and social reasons, and while I've usually managed to appropriately ration my meal plan and use most of my meals, I know people who barely use their meal plans.

5. Finally do ALL of my readings for my classes

Every semester, I tell myself that this will be the semester that I finally read every book I'm assigned for my English class, and while I'm at it, I'll take copious notes and actively absorb every plot point.

To date, this has never happened.

UVa students, to my knowledge, tend to make a big show of having lots of readings to do, but they don't always have time to do all of them due to their approximately 5,000 extracurriculars. Oh well, maybe next semester...

6. Walk to class more instead of just taking the bus every morning

The last two years, I've lived one block from a combo Inner/Outer Loop stop, so I'm definitely guilty of this. I keep meaning to get my steps up and walk to Grounds every morning, but since I still instinctively plan my morning routine around the UTS bus schedule, I clearly still have a ways to go with this goal.

7. Get off of Grounds and "explore Charlottesville" more

This might go along with trying more Cville restaurants, but I would love to take more time and just drive around Cville to see what new hidden gems I can find. I've heard that 4th years say that they finally have time to "explore Charlottesville" now that most of their harder classes are behind them, and I look forward to perhaps having this freedom next year. Though, knowing me, I'll probably keep my schedule packed tightly enough with activities to the point that I don't walk farther than the Corner for weeks on end.

8. Do cool research with primary sources in the Special Collections library

I have only ventured into Special Collections to do research once, and while it was painstaking, I'm honestly not sure if my group used any of my research in our final project. I partially kid here, because I know that many students actually do research for papers and projects in Special Collections. But, for whatever reason, it seems like the type of task that a UVa student would fully intend to do, but then end up just turning to Google for instead.

9. Cut down my Chick-Fil-A trips to once a week, max

If you actually do decide to use your meal plan more, chances are a lot of those meals are coming from the Pav, particularly a certain chicken-focused restaurant. I know I have to actively ration my meals at Chick-Fil-A to once a week, or I'd end up there multiple times and without several main food groups in my regular diet.

10. Live in the moment more, instead of constantly thinking about the next step

Now that I'm deep into third year, I've realized that though it's very important to carefully consider how my current decisions will affect my future, it's perhaps equally important to simply take a breath and fully appreciate how my classes and activities make me feel right now.

College is all about preparing for the future, but at UVa with its busy, goal-oriented students, this focus can sometimes cloud the importance of focusing on thoroughly enjoying the present.

Of course, thinking carefully about your long-term future naturally comes with the territory of making New Year's resolutions. But instead of wishing that huge lifestyle changes will magically make their way into your life next year, narrower school-related resolutions might just be more achievable and fulfilling.

You'll be one step closer to actually being an adventurous foodie who walks everywhere and never procrastinates.