1. Set Reasonable Goals for Yourself
The worst feeling in the world is setting a goal for yourself and failing to meet it. I know I can't be the only one who's fallen into the trap of "this year I'm going to get into shape/ focus on school/ get a job/ etc." So instead of setting ambiguous (and really bad) goals for 2017, try to focus on one thing you can change. For me, I decided to start going to the gym. I don't force myself to go every day or for a certain amount of time, so it is a lot easier to reach my goal.
2. Don't Try to Diet
This may seem like a weird bit of advice, but if one of your goals is to get fit/ healthy, it's really important to not diet. Diets are usually unhealthy, restraining, and end with binge eating Ben & Jerry's at 1 in the morning. The best thing you can do to have a healthier lifestyle is to make small changes in your everyday diet. If you have fast food for dinner every night, it would be unreasonable to try and eat only organic, homemade food as part of a diet. Instead, make small healthy substitutes when you can. For lunch, have soup and salad instead of a sandwich, or try drinking water instead of soda with meals.
3. Make Time for Yourself
Making time for yourself is honestly the best piece of advice I could give. Learning how to relax and be content with doing "nothing" is so important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and mentality. Whether it's journaling, reading a chapter of a book, or even coloring, taking 30-45 minutes a day to just focus your mind on your own thoughts can be a powerful thing.
4. Wake up Earlier
I know my fellow college students will hate me for saying this, but waking up before 12 has major benefits. Getting up early means eating breakfast without being rushed, having time to spare (time for yourself, even), and being able to relax and focus before classes start. If you're like me and have early classes every day, don't fear -- I'm not asking you to get up at 5 every morning. Just a small change, like waking up 30 minutes earlier, can help kick-start your morning and eliminate the oh-crap-I'm-late-again stress that can happen to us all.
5. Use a Planner
My planner is hands down the only way that I can stay organized. I write down every assignment, test, paper, and activity that I have coming up. That way I can prepare myself ahead of time and avoid procrastinating or forgetting about assignments. Planners range from free (think Google Calendar or iCalendar) to $100+, but in the end it doesn't matter how much you spend. All that matters is that you find a way that helps you keep your head above water as we get further into the semester.
6. Find a new passion (or re-discover an old one)
Pursing passions outside of schoolwork is something that definitely isn't addressed enough. We all have hobbies, but many of us, myself included, forgot about them in the excitement and mess of starting college. Introducing a new hobby or passion or simply re-introducing an old one is an easy way to make time for yourself. Even better, find some people who have similar interests and make it a social event!
7. Choose Happiness
Most importantly, in order for 2017 to be your year, you have to choose happiness. I used to hate that phrase, but now I've come to embrace it. It can be difficult to see how to "choose" happiness when you're in a difficult or depressing situation. Even if it is within your control, oftentimes it feels like a cruel joke when people tell you to "smile more" or "be happy." Over the past year, I did a lot of soul-searching. In that time, I recognized all the things in my life that were causing me to be anxious or upset or unhappy, and I decided to stop engaging with them. I didn't necessarily choose happiness, but I chose to be true to myself over everything else, which in the end brought me happiness. So whatever you can do to even have a sliver of joy, seek it out and grasp it. That's how you can really make 2017 your year.
