This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at BC chapter.

It really seems like the semester flew by in the fall and that now we are already back in school. It also feels crazy that it is already 2018… when it feels as if 2017 just began. Maybe you made some resolutions for this year and maybe you didn’t. I don’t know about you, but I always get stressed about resolutions as they’re really hard to follow for more than a few months. I was recently just inspired to live by certain things vs making resolutions and its been really uplifting.

2018 is a time where I chose to challenge myself to do what makes me happy. With life being as busy as it is, it gets get difficult to truly listen to yourself in everyday life. Sometimes, we find ourselves doing so much that we feel the burn out so early in the year (and early in the semester). Here are a few things to keep in mind as the new year is in full swing!

1. Do what makes you happy.

Treat yourself, take time for yourself, and love yourself! Even when you’re busy, take time to do whatever can make you happy and a little less stressed!!

2. Make small changes that can become permanent.

Baby steps! make sure that you make small modifications to life that can become a new habit before writing a list of huge and vague resolutions. That way you can slowly reach goals and they don’t seem as daunting.

3. Listen to your gut.

At the end of the day, it’s just a new year (very exciting and refreshing) BUT you are still the same person you were in 2017. You are the best version of yourself that there will ever be, so embrace that and don’t lose sight of that! Listen to your gut when it comes to goals and resolutions; if you’re trying to eat better and get hungry, go eat! If you are too tired to work out, either take a rest day or modify your workout for the day. You know yourself best so know that!

4. It’s 2018 so….

Do your best to love yourself and the people around you, recognize when stressors/sources of tensions are not worth your time (because you are just so valuable), and don’t sit around not loving yourself because you are perfect and beautiful so why change yourself because it’s another year?!