Another year has come and gone, and it seems as though only yesterday people were posting their 2016 resolutions and silly posts about "new year, new me." The beginning of a new year is a great way to feel like you have a blank slate and can thus tackle the various goals you've been putting off. But making a list of everything you want to try or master can be overwhelming, and including tasks that are less than likely to be completed can end up just being discouraging. So for 2017, make your new years resolutions plausible and great! Here are a few of mine and how I plan to accomplish them.

1. Learn a new language

With Duolingo to learn from and bilingual friends to practice with, spending just 20-30 minutes per day studying will help me master at least the basics of the language I dedicate my time to!

2. Read more books

This past summer, I created a list of books I really wanted to read and used my time commuting to and from my internship to make a dent in the list. Part of the pleasure of reading for me is going to a bookstore and purchasing my next read, which I treat as a reward for finishing whichever book I was previously working on. Though I find I rarely have time to read while I'm at school, I know I can spend a bit more time reading and a bit less time watching Netflix at my dorm -- and I'll continue to use my time over breaks to read a few books!

3. Drink more water

I know this seems silly and something that should be a given, but I find that having a resolution that says something along the lines of "be healthier" is too vague and intimidating. Staying hydrated is super important and often an overlooked aspect of health. Adults should drink about 2 liters (or half a gallon) of water per day; a great way to go about this is tracking your water consumption with an app on your phone, or simply getting a reusable water bottle with volume markings. If you find that's still not doing the trick, try drinking water from your bottle with a straw!