It’s a new year, a new semester, and a chance to be a “new you.” Now that we are just about a month into 2012, how are those new years resolutions going? My guess is that you probably gave up your goal to go to the gym 5 days a week and to lose those 6 pounds by now. I certainly believe that everyone has the ability to make a goal and to stick to it, but it takes more than a new years resolution to get people to drastically change themselves, their lifestyles, and their cravings for pizza and triple layer chocolate cake. So now that February is just around the corner and many of us have forgotten our new years goals, let’s revisit some realistic ways that we can improve ourselves other than losing X amount of pounds in Y amount of visits to the gym. Instead of looking at a whole year’s worth of resolutions, let’s first start with a “newer you” this semester in all aspects: your classes, saving money, as well as maintaining your physical and mental health.
Classes: Organize yourself, your books, and your assignments. An easy way to stay organized is to implement both a daily calendar and a monthly calendar into your routine. Before you work starts piling up, take each class syllabus and mark the important dates on your monthly calendar. Schedule in workouts around your classes and prioritize your assignments – if something is due the next day put it at number 1 in importance and put long term projects lower on your list (but still on your list so you don’t forget about them).
Budgeting: It’s hard to watch your money when you live in an expensive city like DC where a roll of sushi at whole foods can cost 10 dollars and the taxi drivers for some reason keep pressing that button on the right that makes the price start at $5.00. To help you plan a budget, sit down and decide how much you would like to spend in a week or month and then divide that by each day- don’t forget to plan accordingly for those expensive weekend nights. You can save money by not ordering wine or cocktails with dinner and by not buying shots for you and all your friends when you are out. If you cook at least one or two meals a day, you might find yourself saving enough money to buy those new boots you’ve been eyeing before it gets too warm to wear them.
Physical Health: If you are trying to maintain your weight, or are trying to implement a healthier diet, start by looking at your class schedule and figure out when you would realistically have time to go to the gym. Instead of taking a taxi, walk to dinner and then back home, and try to eat 3 meals a day instead of snacking throughout, so you feel satisfied. Cut calories by eating out less and skipping that first drink when you go out. Try to get to bed before 2 am so that you don’t end up spending your next day sitting in bed watching TV.
Mental Health: Of course it’s hard to eat healthy, do well in school, and watch your budget if you are distracted by emotional stress. Try to pick your battles with your friends or boyfriend and try to communicate when you are upset without attacking others. For a quick fix, start by cleaning your room and scheduling “me time”. Turn your cell phone off when you go to bed and try to spend more time hanging with your friends and less time looking at their pictures or hearing what they are eating for dinner via social media.
So there you have it- easy and realistic ways to make this semester the best one yet!