Another new school year is rapidly approaching. With the approach of another year, everyone tries to make themselves better, and while everyone should always strive to make themselves better in whatever way they can, people also need to be realistic about what they're planning to do.

If you are someone who, like me, has always procrastinated their work, you probably aren't going to have all of your assignments done a week ahead of time like you say you are going to. It's just not going to happen. If you are someone who has never gone to the gym a day in your life, you probably aren't going to start going every day while also managing to get all of your work done. Again, it's just not going to happen. If your desk has been messy since the day you moved in, you aren't going to have an Instagram-worthy desk much longer than five minutes. If you eat out every meal, you aren't going to magically make time to meal prep for every meal for the school year.

Instead of making all of these promises to yourself and your roommates that are never going to happen, go with something more manageable. For your procrastination problems, try to have everything done before midnight the night before the assignment is due. That means no staying up until three A.M. trying to finish that paper, and you'll feel a lot better in class the next day. Instead of saying you're going to go to the gym every day, start off by going for a walk three times a week. If you're successful at that, then more it to the gym, or move the walks to every day. Clean your desk off every Saturday morning. Eat lunch out every day if you want, but make yourself dinner at home most nights of the week.

At the end of the day, you are the person that you are going to be accountable for the promises that you have failed to live up to. Everyone should strive to make themselves an even better version of the person they were yesterday, but it doesn't mean that you will be able to change yourself overnight. Make sure your goals are actually manageable so that you don't get discouraged when you fail to accomplish your mighty goal during the first week of classes. Don't procrastinate, go to the gym, organize your desk, and eat healthy. All worthwhile goals for the year, but take it in baby steps. Best of luck this year on improving yourself.