From obsessing over social media, the secret to being healthy and unhealthy, there’s no question that this summer was full of ups and downs. I’ve laughed, cried, and thought. According to Jimmy Valvano I must have had a heck of a summer. As it came to an end, I reflected on the good and the bad that has happened over the past couple months. Here are a few things I’ve taken away and how it will help for this upcoming semester.Â
I admit I spend way more time than I’d like scrolling through Instagram, watching other’s Snapchat Stories, and even browsing on Facebook. Not only does this eat up my time, I find that I am comparing myself to every person I follow. So, I made the decision to turn off my notifications to all social media apps. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely still check these apps daily – I just do not immediately get notified of that snap, like, or friend request when it happens. I’ve noticed the time I spend not thinking about or using social media is valuable. Whether I am with family and friends, doing homework, or relaxing, it is worth it to not to be interrupted by a notification. So, I encourage all of you to start off the school year right by turning off your notifications!Â
I have been told it takes 21 days to make a habit. This summer I set a goal to be as healthy as possible, which included the gym five days a week. I had all of the motivation in the world at the beginning, and without surprise, began to lose interest about a week in. After googling “how to make the gym less boring”, I figured out the secret to the gym is Netflix. Watching shows kept my mind occupied. You would not believe how fast an hour flies by on the elliptical when you are watching The Imposters. This semester I won’t feel guilty wasting time watching Netflix. Instead, I will forget about how much I am sweating on the treadmill buy watching Season Three of 13 Reasons Why.Â
The last piece of advice I will leave is to make the most of every moment you share with your friends and family. Just last week my dog unexpectedly developed a hole in his lung. Unfortunately, he didn’t make it. While I am still mourning his loss, I will forever be grateful for all of the time we spent together. This semester I will make a point to have the most fun with my friends at school, and call home a lot. Because life is short ant things can change in the blink of an eye, I encourage you all to do the same.
Best of luck this semester!