The new year is a time for forgiveness, new beginnings, and self awareness. After a year of ups and downs, it’s hard not to expect better things for the days to come. With new year’s resolutions and hopeful lifestyle changes, we often lose track of our personal goals as the winter trudges on. Flu season and snow flood the frigid campus air, and excuses never fail to follow suit. This year, make a point to choose resolutions that you are more likely to stay faithful to. Start small, and build up your stamina to tackle bigger goals. Here is a list of potential resolutions fit for malaised college students, and how to execute them with confidence.
1. Develop Better Study Habits
As the spring semester comes to a dreaded start, it is crucial to begin efficient study habits as soon as the first assignments roll in. Buy a planner, organize your notebooks, and hang a calendar above your desk at home. That way your assignments cannot be ignored, and studying for tests will become far less tedious.
2. Begin a Consistent Workout Plan
This is probably the most popular, yet most difficult new year’s resolution to keep track of. Working at a gym at home, I see the waves of members who join in January, work out for one week, then don’t show up until the next January. Becoming successful in a fitness journey relies heavily on mindset. Get a fitness app, buy a fitbit, or find a group of friends to push you and help motivate you to exercise regularly.
3. Create a Healthier Diet
Being a broke college student is the biggest excuse for unhealthy habits. While eating healthy may seem like a luxury, there are many ways to combat destructive diets on a college dime. Dining halls offer a wide variety of foods, yet most students flock to chains such as Qdoba, Chick-fil-a and Dunkin’ Donuts. These chains may seem more relative and convenient, but campus-owned restaurants often have healthier selections. Make sure each of your meals has an equal balance of fruits, grains, protein, and veggies, whether mixed together or separate. As far as chains are concerned, try to limit your trips per week. When you do decide to treat yourself at Qdoba, get shredded cheese instead of sour cream, and maybe get a taco salad instead of a rice-based burrito bowl. At Chick-fil-a, get grilled nuggets instead of breaded, and grab a fruit bowl instead of fries. Eat a bowl of oatmeal and a yogurt cup for breakfast, then run to Dunkin’ for a small cup of joe. These may seem like minute changes, but will develop into healthier habits over time.
4. Go to Sleep Earlier
Let’s be honest, it’s hardly necessary to go out four times a week, yet most of us still complain about not having enough time to sleep. Ironically enough, I even find myself staying up later on nights where I’m just watching Netflix or studying in my apartment, rather than when I go out with friends. Try not to stay out late more than twice a week. Additionally, set aside specific time in your day for studying instead of leaving it to the last minute. Turn off your phone and laptop after midnight, and let your mind rest. That way, you can find the mental peace you need to fall asleep much earlier than you would stressing about work, or creeping on your ex’s instagram page.
5. Save Money
Ladies, I know it seems impossible, but I have full faith that it can be done. Most of us complain about not having money for food or laundry, but still manage to drop over $40 a week on various means of alcohol. Try to create a balance between lifestyle and social purchases. Limit extraneous spending altogether, such as online shopping and starbucks every morning. For food, try to eat on campus more often, and at the grocery store, buy off-brand products instead of name-brands. You will be amazed over how much money you save.
6. Shatter Mental Roadblocks
Instead of listing pros and cons of a situation, scratch out the cons entirely. Restrictions are only present when you allow yourself build roadblocks. We often deny our resolutions when excuses cloud our mentality. Continue the new year with positivity and an open mind. Try something new, step out of your comfort zone, and surround yourself with things that make you consistently happy. Instead of using your busy schedule as an excuse to not go to the gym, make time in your schedule early on. Don’t blame living off campus for your bad eating, buy carrots instead of buffalo-flavored pretzels. To be sickeningly cliche: don’t ask yourself why, ask yourself why not. You can choose to be either your biggest fan, or your biggest enemy.
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