For me, winter break is three weeks of sleeping, eating, and spending quality time with quality people. However, it is also a time of retrospection. I ask myself, what the heck happened first semester? And what can I do to make the second semester better? Here are five New Year's resolutions to help you make second semester the best one yet:
1. Get healthy.
Did you eat too much junk food? Perhaps you only made it to the rec once, and maybe it was to use the bathroom. Or did busyness just get the best of you?
Don't beat yourself up. Getting healthy is not easy. Take it one step at a time and reward yourself for the little things. Buy a salad instead of pizza, even if it's only once a week. Get active! Join an intramural, go hiking, or do anything that gets you on your feet. And don't feel guilty about eating that ice cream cone. As long as it is not an everyday thing, you are OK. Though a cliche, our body is a temple. Let's treat it like one!
2. Get organized.
Did your five-folder system turn into zero-folder? Did you forget about a homework assignment one-too-many times? Did you own a planner or write down important dates?
For some people, getting organized is chillingly easy. They somehow manage to meet every deadline, turn in every homework assignment, attend every meeting, and forget nothing. However, most people are not naturally organized. If you don't have a planner, get one. Write down every single homework assignment, test, meeting, etc. The trick is not trying to remember everything. The trick is to write everything down so you don't have to remember. Also, get a notebook and folder for each class, even if it's an easy-A. If you get a sheet of paper, put it in its folder. If you write about something for class, write it in its folder. Staying organized makes life so much easier. No one likes rummaging through their backpack looking for a sheet of paper that, for all they know, has been in the garbage for weeks. So get organized!
3. Save money.
Spend a little too much money last semester? Have you been too scared to check your bank account? Think it's time to get a job?
Money and college are an interesting mix. It is more than easy to get carried away with your finances. Whether uptown, on campus, or online, money can be gone almost instantly. So, next semester, start budgeting yourself. Determine how much money you spend each week on the essentials. Once you have done that, expand your budget to include things you want to buy. You should now have a rough estimate of how much you spend each week. If this number makes your jaw drop, you may have to make some serious changes. One easy change, for coffee lovers, in particular, is to stop going to coffee shops. Instead, use your meal plan to get coffee on campus. It may not taste exactly the same, but it will save you some serious cash.
4. Stop procrastinating.
Did you have all week to write that paper? Did you save it for the night before? Do you have trouble getting started on certain assignments?
Procrastination is a universal, plaguing college students across the nation. For some, it's a lack of motivation. For others, it may have to do with not knowing how to do the assignment. However, one thing is for certain: Good quality work is not done last-minute. Though easier said than done, start your work earlier. Break the assignment into small one- or two-hour chunks and finish one each day. An eight-page paper is scary. Though if you write two pages each day, it can be finished without breaking a sweat.
5. Get more sleep.
Are you averaging five hours of sleep? Are you downing can after can of Red Bull just to stay awake? Are you pulling all-nighters to get your homework done?
Everyone loves to sleep. Much like with finances, sleep and college do not mix well. For many students, staying up until 4 a.m. to finish tomorrow's homework is a weekly, even daily occurrence. For these students, tomorrow is living hell. They chug caffeine to wake up and stay awake. This is not healthy. Lack of sleep breeds impatience, anger, and low-quality work. Next semester, when the clock hits midnight, consider going to bed. If the assignment is due tomorrow afternoon, wake up at 8 a.m. to finish. You will work much more efficiently, especially if you are well rested. Of course, there are going to be those nights where sleep is not an option. If this rings true for you, consider starting your work earlier. The trick is not letting an assignment take your well-deserved sleep away.
Choose one or two of these resolutions and stick to them. It will set you up for a stellar semester and an incredible rest of the year!
