Going into college, I knew things were going to change. My environment was going to be new, the workload was going to get harder, and connections were going to be needed. Thus, I needed to change as well.

Knowing that I can’t pull off any of my old high school habits here (no more starting essays the night before they’re due…hopefully), I’ve tried to develop good, better habits to better myself mentally and physically. Of course, I’ve also made (and redeveloped) some bad ones.

One of the best habits I’ve started is utilizing the various resources around campus, most notably the library. The first time I walked into my school’s library to quietly study, I was surprised by the number of people there. There were many desks to use, and people even sat on the floor. It was quiet, allowing me to focus better than I ever could in my paper-thinned walled dorm. Even in a technological age of ours, there is still a great use for libraries outside of books.

I’ve also utilized tutors. I normally don’t like it when someone other than a teacher explains something to me, and I would usually try to work it out myself, usually to no avail. Using the tutoring service has made me comfortable with asking for help as well as admitting to where I struggle.

Since starting college, I’ve also made it a habit to exercise. I’m a decent tennis player, so once a week, I try to go out to the courts with a few friends. Before, I wouldn’t play a lot outside of high school tennis season, but now there are days when I just want to strike a ball with my racket. Exercising is a great cathartic action, one that releases the stress and madness from all the classes and assignments. It’s a good thing to do often, and an enjoyable one too.

Of course, no good habits can exist without any bad ones. Sadly, some high school vices have returned and are probably worse than they used to be.

For example, I still bite my nails. I wouldn’t call myself an anxious person, but nail biting has been an on-and-off habit of mine for years. I can’t pinpoint when the habit came back, but I wasn’t doing it before school started. It’s an awful habit to have. First off, it’s gross, and having bits of nail on my tongue and needing to spit it out is worse. I also have no idea what kind of dirt or germs are under my nails. The worst is biting the nail so low that the skin underneath starts to hurt, maybe even start bleeding. There are products that discourage nail biting (one makes the nail taste terrible), but I prefer to not use any products and just resist the temptation. Sometimes, it’s not even a temptation; it just happens on its own. It’s a terrible and unhealthy habit to have.

Speaking of biting, I also tend to get too much to eat in the dining hall. I usually want to try everything, but I often leave so much on the plate or I eat it all but it’s just too much. I have been doing better recently, but there are some days where I get take out boxes, fill them up and never eat half of what’s in it. I feel bad about wasting food; I feel bad for the dishwashers and for the dining hall employees. Yeah, the food might not taste great, but they made it for us; might as well show my appreciation for them (unless it’s extremely repulsive, then I have no sympathy).

Lastly, as a well-seasoned veteran of the art of procrastination, it is no surprise that I still tend to put of my homework until the night before it’s due. I used to be able to churn out essays the night before in high school, staying up well past midnight to finish things; however, I treasure my sleep now (since I can’t take naps in my dorm, thanks to both paper thin walls and loud floormates), so it’s harder for me to stay awake past midnight. I always told myself before starting college that I would try to start my work early. Mind you, I have started some work early, but sometimes starting work early for me means just writing my name on a paper. I think I’m starting to get a little better; I’m currently starting a project a few days before it’s due. It could be better, but like I said, I’m a seasoned procrastinator.

I’m only in my second month of college, but I’m already noticing the changes in my habits. While there are still more good habits to develop, there’s still also time to fix all the vices I have. I have four more years plus the rest of my life; hopefully I don’t procrastinate on that, though.