I am honestly so tired of hearing people answer the New Year's resolution question with a big sigh, a jiggle of their stomach and a sarcastic laugh saying, "to lose weight!" I mean really, there's always that one family member that answers saying they want to lose 425 pounds this year. Calm down, Aunt Trisha, you had like two gingerbread lattés this holiday season.

It's time to start making healthy, realistic New Year's resolutions you'll actually stick with this year. As a college student, I have made a few myself that may help other students out there like me.

1. Get a full eight hours of sleep a night.

Before you go angrily typing behind your keyboards venting your unrelenting busy schedules with work and school, let me say: I understand. Life is damn busy. However, life is a whole lot easier with eight hours of sleep a night. Spend your time wisely during the day so you have the time at night to give your body and mind the rest it deserves.

2. Drink a gallon of water a day.

It's honestly not as much as it sounds — about four standard-sized Nalgene bottles. You'll feel a lot less lethargic and a lot more healthy.

3. Study for an hour each day.

You really don't need to stay up until 3 a.m. the night before an exam; it's unhealthy and quite frankly dumb. You can find one — just one — uninterrupted hour in your day so that when the night before the exam comes, you can just review instead of cram.

4. Call a loved one you don't speak to too often once a week.

Call your grandma, your dad, sister, friend from home — whomever. In the rush of college, it is always healthy to stay in touch and grounded with your roots. It'll take 20 minutes.

5. Go to the student health center once a semester.

Such an easy resolution. It's free, for the most part, and is a good way to keep in touch with your body and make sure everything is running right.

6. Treat yourself once a week.

This has a wide variety of meanings, but do this in a healthy way. Splurge on that pint of Halo Top, do a face mask while watching a chick flick and eating popcorn. Whatever you can do to make yourself feel special, commit to it once a week.

7. Take up an exercise you actually get enjoyment out of.

Keeping in shape does not have to be a chore. Explore a little and find an exercise that actually makes you feel excited to get up in the morning and attend. Whether it be taking up pilates (my personal favorite) or trying that weird but oddly intriguing dancercise class, find a way to sweat without all of the dread.

8. Clean out your room once a week.

A decluttered room can really help with stress levels. Coming home to a clean, organized room has been proven to help with a clearer headspace.