If you’re like me, you’ve probably fallen victim to the “my New Year’s resolution is to eat healthier” scheme, which usually results in a mouth full of oatmeal crème pies on January 3rd. In reality, a lot of New Year’s resolutions aren’t feasible for college students, whether it’s due to time constraints, classwork, or Hoover Hall’s delicious dessert selection. So, here are five implementable, realistic New Year’s goals for every college student:
- Adjust your sleep schedule.
It’s hard to operate some days running on a 7:00 a.m. wakeup call and a 2:00 a.m. bedtime. Sleep is of the utmost importance for good health, and a psychological remedy for practically everything (avoiding your homework, stress, avoiding more homework…), yet practically no college student seems to get enough. Or if they are getting enough sleep, it’s during the wrong hours of the day. That’s why adjusting your sleep schedule could revolutionize your semester, and lead to a more energized and healthier you. Getting up at the same time every morning, say 8 a.m. (yes, even on weekends), is one of the best ways to establish a routine and make an efficient and productive use of your day. Or, if you’re definitely not a morning person like me, try going to bed by midnight every weeknight. You’ll thank yourself in the morning.
- Treat. Yo. Self.
Too often college kids get caught up in the whirlwind of schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and the social scene without remembering to make time for themselves. That’s why treating your self at least once a week is a necessary (and fun) New Year’s Resolution. Whether it’s anything ranging from buying yourself Starbucks, taking time to paint your nails or watching Netflix in bed, taking care of yourself should be a priority. When you do make time to treat your self, often schoolwork and all the innate stress of being a college student becomes a little more manageable.
- Exercise.
While an increase in exercising is arguably the most cliché New Year’s resolution in the book, its benefits are hard to ignore. To be honest, committing to exercising every single day may be a little bit extreme, because we all have those days (most days) where our bed is more appealing than an elliptical machine. But even if it’s only once or a couple of times a week, exercising is one of the best ways to de-stress, clear your mind and as backwards as it sounds, feel more energized. DePauw’s Lilly Center and workout classes are too nice not to take advantage of – whether you decide to walk on the treadmill watching The Office or attend a boot camp.
- Read a book.
Hardly anyone I know can even remember the last time they read a book from start to finish that wasn’t required for a class. And sometimes our schedules seem so demanding that reading a book seems practically impossible, and it is omitted entirely from our to-do lists. But, if you replace the 30 minutes you inevitably spend in bed on your phone before you fall asleep with 30 minutes of reading, you could knock out a whole book in no time. Think of how much reading you could accomplish if you stopped watching all those dog compilation videos on Facebook. Books are truly soul soothers – anything ranging from John Green novels to the poetry collection Milk and Honey – and who knows, you might even learn a thing or two in the process.
- Reach out to your family.
It is too easy to let relationships with relatives falter when you’re off far away at college. Without being around your parents and siblings every day, it’s not unusual to have them just fall off your radar and go days, or weeks even, without communication. Especially important are grandparents, aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles – those people who are inexplicably important but you see even less when you’re at college. So, take five minutes out of your day, deem it a study break, and call a relative. It will probably make their day and yours just a little bit brighter.
So, if you’re ready to accept that you probably won’t be able to go all of 2017 without eating any junk food, try one of these resolutions. Hopefully we will make it at least a week this semester!