I have always found the first couple days of the new year to be particularly overwhelming, as I’m sure most people do. We feel pressure all around us to be making drastic changes in our lives and as a result we create unrealistic resolutions for the new year, which we practically never stick to.

A resolution that I made for myself for 2018, and one that I believe everyone should make, is to prioritize yourself. Practicing self-care is a something that is far underrated but is necessary to lead a healthy and balanced life.

One way to do such is to simply get enough sleep each night. Being a college student, I am very well aware of how easy it is to fall into a bad habit of pulling all-nighters to cram for an exam. However, I have come to realize that these hours lost from sleep to studying are ones that may actually hurt our academic performance and overall mental well-being. Getting a sufficient amount of sleep (6-8 hours per night) is far more important than trying to jam information into our minds that will probably not stick in there anyway.

Along with this, I believe that staying organized and on top of our responsibilities is something that is crucial to making us more productive, thus improving our mindset and overall well-being. Personally, I have found that planning the night before for the upcoming day and sorting the things that I must get done is a great way to do so. I believe that this will not only encourage academic success, as it fosters productivity, but also gives us a boost of confidence and self-esteem.

What we also need to keep in mind is how important it is to take time to simply relax. Everyone has various preferred ways of doing so, whether it be hitting the gym, reading a favorite book or starting a new show on Netflix. Taking time to unwind and de-stress is arguably the most essential aspect to maintaining mental well-being.

Nothing is more important than our health. Taking care of ourselves is something that is far underrated and we must change that in 2018! Put yourself first this year and I promise you will have the best year yet.