2024 was a total rollercoaster. So much happened in my life during that time, things that I never thought were possible. Looking back on where I was a year ago, I’d say that past Elisabeth could definitely use a hug (and maybe an Aspirin), but she somewhat knew what she was doing. I wrote an article a year ago about how I don’t make New Years’ resolutions because I found goals with deadlines to be too restrictive. I thought it was up to the person to decide when or how to complete a goal.
I still feel the same way to some extent, however I do think that life isn’t that predictable sometimes. I spent the first half of the year feeling like my life was moving through molasses, meaning I had all the time in the world to ponder on how I could live a more fulfilled life. To keep a long story short, a lot of stuff went down, and I found myself thinking like a whole new person within a span of 2 weeks.
I guess I did complete my goal of improving without restrictions, but not in a way that I had previously thought was possible. I was forced to find a new perspective on things, instead of me finding it for myself.
Well, Her Campus readers, not this year!
I jumped the gun this year and decided to devise a plan for what I was choosing to keep the same, and things that I wanted to change in my lifestyle. I’ve decided to publish this list, only because I think it would be a fun contrast against my New Years’ article from last year.
In: Keeping a clean space
When I first heard Lara Jean Covey say “My life was a mess, but I could clean my room,” in To All The Boys I Loved Before (2017), it felt like my mother had possessed her in order to teach me a lesson. However, like mothers often are, she was completely right!
When my room is clean, nothing can get me down. Bad day at work? Didn’t do so well on a test? It doesn’t matter. If I can come home to a bed that’s made and no clothes on the floor, everything will be okay. Luckily, I already have a routine with keeping my bedroom clean.
I start every single day by – bear with me for the clichĂ© – making my bed. Literally, before I even turn my alarm off or take my retainer out, I stand up and fix all of my blankets and pillows. It helps me feel productive in the morning, and gives me a clean slate to lay out different outfit combinations for the day!
out: Having my Phone in BEd
I have a love/hate relationship with my phone.
On one hand, it’s so convenient to have on me, especially by my bed – there have been instances where my alarm has been too far away from me and I do not hear it. On the other hand, I hate that one of the first parts of my morning is shutting my alarm off and scrolling through my missed texts and Pinterest home feed for 20 minutes.
Therefore, one of my main goals for 2025 is to have a better relationship with technology and how much I use it. Lately, I’ve been trying to keep my phone as far away from my bed as possible; save for when I have an important alarm set. I’m not quite that brave yet.
in: Doing it scared
I have been loving this phrase lately. This past year have brought a lot of firsts for me, and I think that I would have missed out on a lot of fun opportunities if I had let my fears control my decisions.
Historically, keeping my fears at bay has been tricky for me, but in the past little while I’ve been really focusing on not letting them get in the way of what I want. Saying “no” is a lot easier than doing something while being afraid, but 9 times out of 10, the fear ends up being worth it.
out: adopting absurd routines
One thing that I really don’t agree with is that you need to wake up obnoxiously early every single morning in order to be productive. I’ve seen countless videos online of people who will wake up at 5am and have a million things done by lunchtime.
Personally, that approach does not work with me and my daily habits. I have a job that requires a considerable amount of mental energy and patience, and waking up at the crack of dawn everyday would absolutely test my limits. Most of my classes are also at night, meaning I can’t really be sleepy by 8pm.
Here’s some advice that I learned the hard way: just because it works for your favourite influencer, it might not work for you.
In: Finding Joy in everything
There is so much beauty in the smaller details of life. Being able to seek out mundane elements in your day and appreciate them for what they are, and not what they could be, is something that I’ve grown to learn over the last few months.
The key to doing this is just watching. Watching the way that leaves fall from trees, how coffee drips into your mug, or watching how people interact with each other in public. You’d be amazed at the beautiful things you can witness simply by looking around and paying attention to things that would otherwise be overlooked.
I love finding joy in the tiniest of things. Lately, my new thing has been matching my burgundy necklace with my burgundy sneakers everyday, as well as organizing all of my books by spinal colour.
Out: negative self-talk
In 2025, we do not stan talking badly about ourselves!
There’s more to negative self-talk than putting yourself down over things like appearance and grades. It’s also the excessive self-deprecating jokes, and diminishing your achievements when receiving a compliment. I have been a repeat offender when it comes to not accepting compliments properly, and I am sick of it.
It helps to talk to yourself the way you would comfort or hype up a friend. Being kind and compassionate to yourself is just as important (if not more!) than being kind and compassionate to your friends.
Final Thoughts
It’s hard to believe that the New Year has rolled around again. I can only hope that 2025 is as exciting and educational as 2024 was, in the most tiring ways possible.
Thank you for reading, and I wish you well in your endeavours during the New Year!