It's that time of the year, again.
That time when you set outrageous goals for yourself, and then forget about them one week in to the new year.
Well, that's not going to happen this time because I am going to give you a few realistic, helpful, and easily achievable goals for you college students to start your year off on the right foot!
1. Get Organized
If you are anything like me, you keep your entire life organized, right down to the second. And you may have thought that you would be the same completely organized, super neat and tidy person that you were in high school. Well, this isn't always the case. Being in college is a huge change for almost everyone, and the first semester is basically just trying to get used to your new lifestyle. When your busy with adjusting to a new lifestyle, you let other things slide under the radar. For example, organization. It's important to stay organized, not just because you might find it fun (like I do), but because it will make your life so much more manageable. You have so many new things floating around in college like classes, projects, job(s), internships, clubs, and sports. Losing track of things can become problematic. Something that I would suggest to you is to get a daily/weekly planner, like the one below, and at the beginning of each week, write down the assignments/obligations that you know are coming up. As you get each thing done, check it off. You can also get really articulate by color-coding things (like blue for classes, green for clubs, etc). It's really a great way to keep organized, just remember to stick to it!
https://www.amazon.com/Lilly-Pulitzer-2016-2017-So...
2. Start Living an Active Lifestyle
It's a struggle that we college students know all too well. You're always rushing from class to class. You feel like you never have time to go the gym or do anything at all. If this sounds like you, rest assured that you are not alone. A lot of college students want to be active, but they either don't have the time, money, or motivation. However, this year, you can change that! All it will take is some dedication and good planning. A simple tip on being more active is to bike/walk whenever possible instead of hopping in the car. Also, if you don't have a lot of spare time to dedicate to going to the gym several times a week, try joining a group exercise class. It may sound a little cliche, but it really is a great opportunity to start/maintain an active lifestyle. Many schools offer classes like HIIT, Zumba, or Cross Fit, just to name a few. These are effective because they are often free to enrolled students, create new social interaction, and surround you with people in the same mindset!
3. Eat Healthier
By eating healthier, I do not mean jumping into a diet. Diet plans like Jenny Craig work for some people, but they are definitely not for everyone. So, to start your new year off on a good note, just change your eating habits. Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, less sodium and added sugars, and drink more water. Familiarize yourself with the nutrition facts on foods, and adhere to the serving sizes. Doing these things in conjunction with regular exercise will help you significantly and you'll feel better mentally and physically. A healthy tip I have is to always carry your water bottle filled with water so you drink that instead of reaching for a soda. Also, the next time you go shopping, stock up on healthy snacks. Snacks are not only good for the dorm room, but if you carry healthy snacks around with you like granola bars, nuts, fruit, you'll be more likely to eat those things instead of sneaking off to the vending machines.
4. Get Involved
There are so many ways to get involved around your college campus, wherever that may be. Find what suits you and your interests! For example, I am a complete and utter nerd when it comes to anything history. I found a group of students that share these same interests and we started a History club! I'm also a Christian, so I joined a Christian organization on campus. Whether you're into sports, academics, history or math, find something that interests you. It doesn't have to be club, it could just be a group of friends with the same interests as you, or talking about something that intrigues you with your professor(s). This is not only fun, and a stress reliever from all of your schoolwork, but it could also turn into an opportunity to get to know important people, recruiters, and for you to get internships or possible jobs after graduation. There is nothing bad about getting involved, it will only help you in the long run!
5. Start a Budget
Whether you have your own job at school, or your parents keep you afloat, you already know that money is a crucial part of every day life. Not to be a Debbie-downer, but it will be this way for the rest of your life. Having bad spending habits now will only hurt you later... if you don't fix them. You can help your present and future self by starting your new year off with a budget, or even just making small adjustments to your spending habits. If and when you plan out your budget, think about all of your necessities, and then go from there. This will not only teach you to appropriate your money better, but it will also teach you the value of a dollar, and to look for ways to decrease your spending on necessities so that you can have more for other things like material items and going out.
Hope these tips helped you figure out a New Year's Resolution!
Happy New Year!
