As people engage with the Christmas festivities that jumpstarted the day following Thanksgiving, many look forward to New Year’s Eve. Whether you are planning to watch the ball drop in the comforts of your own home, or have a night on the town planned, what reaaaallllly matters what is the day following NYE: January 1, 2016.
New Year’s Day is the first page of the next chapter full of new experiences and people. While Christmas is a holiday founded on community, gratitude and giving, New Years is a holiday all about you. It’s a time to be introspective; a time for one to assess what is working in one’s life, and what is just not.
New Years Resolutions to Get You Thinking…
Devote more time to under appreciated people.Has it been a month since you last talked to your grandma? Vouch to check in more often then you do. Have you ever had a conversation with your dorm janitor? Try to spark up a conversation next time you cross paths. Make an effort in 2016 to be cognizant of the people that drive us forward, even in the smallest ways.
Cut out the complaining.No one likes a “Negative Nelly,” but we all fall into the trap. Often times it is easier to wallow in our own problems while bringing everyone down with us. While it is human to complain about the cold weather or to vent about an annoying friend, make a conscious effort to drown out the bad. After all, what is that doing for you (or anyone else), anyway?
Sit with a stranger.If you save your friend a seat by you for each Russian Literature lecture and wait for your friend to get her Sargent chicken JUST so you can stay together, you’re limiting yourself. Northwestern is a big school filled with incredible people. Make an effort to leap outside your normal friendship crew by snagging a seat in the dining hall next to someone you don’t know. More often then not, they’ll have at least one interesting story to tell.
Set aside device-free hours.Take some time to reflect on the breakdown of your daily routine. You (hopefully) go to class, perhaps spend a few hours in the library, attend various meeting for clubs and organizations on campus, eat, and hang out with friends. In between (or often, during) you most likely glued to your mobile device: responding to texts message, scrolling through your Instagram feed, checking Twitter or ESPN for updates and blasting selfies to your snapchat friends. Add up those small tech breaks and I am sure you will be blown away by how much media eats away our time. Opt to go device-free for a couple hours and see how it feels. There is a whole lot of world to see beyond the depths of a tiny screen.
Keep a blog, journal or memory book.Throughout 2016 there will be times of pure euphoria, or inexplicable happiness. At the same time, there will be moments that challenge you, furthering your growth as an imperfect person. The simplest, smallest moments, while the greatest moments, can very often be the easiest to forget. While it is easy to rely on our powerful memories, simple moments often become blurry and faint with time. Take the time to write down the good and bad; whether in a journal, in your iPhone notes or in a personal blog. By 2017 rolls around, you will realize it’s was the best gift you could have given to yourself.