“The only constant in life is change.”
The current quarter has been a testament to that quote. My transition from living in the dorms freshman year to living in an apartment now has brought unexpected changes. At the same time, this change in environment has made it easier for me to implement new habits.
One of the most significant changes since moving into an apartment has been my eating habits. Now that I no longer have a meal plan, I have more agency in my diet, at the cost of convenience. I spend significantly more time thinking about what my next meal will be. What should I cook? What ingredients do I need to use up? Have I been eating a diverse enough range of foods lately? It has made me more mindful of my choices, but I wish I could use some of that time on other things.
The second change is my means of transportation. I had a bike last year that I had to give away, so now I use the bus to get everywhere. On one hand, I like that I don’t have to exert myself to get to class on time. On the other hand, I have to make sure I don’t miss the bus.Â
The third change is maintenance. Most apartments in Davis are quite old and require more care than the dorms. My roommates and I have had to send multiple maintenance requests to our management. The most stressful part was asking management to replace the carpet in my room due to the possibility of carpet beetles. After calling them several times, they finally replaced my carpet the day before instruction began.Â
I have been forced to adapt to these changes, but my new lifestyle has also allowed me to make the changes I want. Because I take the bus, I plan out my morning so that I can get to class on time. To my own surprise, I have been consistently attending my morning lectures. When I get to my lectures, I always sit in the front row. One change has led to another, and now I find myself more engaged in class.
Compared to freshman year, I’ve been able to change how I approach my academics and extracurricular activities with more success. I attribute this to living off campus. As I’ve been learning in my biology class, life is made possible by strategically coupling reactions. The energy released from a spontaneous reaction is used to fuel a nonspontaneous reaction. In the same way, the changes that have happened naturally have helped me implement the harder changes that I want in my life.
What should you take away from this? Capitalize on any big lifestyle changes. Let those changes lead to new and better habits. Let those habits lead to better results. It can be hard to force yourself into new habits, so why not couple them with the inevitable changes when they arise?