New Year’s resolutions have never lasted long for me, so this year, I didn’t even try to make them. Instead, I decided to take the route of making an ins and outs list as January went on. By the end of the month, I knew the vibe I wanted to lead 2026 with and what I wanted my year to look like. With the help of some of my Her Campus at ODU writers, we’ve compiled a list of our own ins and outs for the year, which can hopefully inspire you to have your own fantastic year!Â
Mine:
INS:
- Family dinner with friends
- Digital cameras and camcorders
- Recognizing that community is inconvenient but worth it
- Saying yes more
OUTS:
- Procrastinating homework
- Giving no effort
- Forgetting to make the best of every moment
Vivian Le:Â
INS:
- Put in more effort to live without regrets!
- Hair care
- Wearing more colors!
OUTS:
- Impulse buying beauty products
- Procrastinating
- Too much caffeine
- Saying “idgaf” way too oftenÂ
Mea Greer:
INS:
- Turning to more environmentally friendly products
- Spending less money
- Pouring into creative outlets (like playing the drums)Â
OUTS:
- Comparing ourselves to others
Briyah Fuller:
INS:
- Reading Substack articles
- Listening to movie soundtracksÂ
- Journaling anything at night (hopes, dreams, aspirations)
OUTS:
- Talking negatively about myself (body image, self confidence, grades)
- Letting one person dictate my mood
- Doom-scrolling in the morningÂ
Rory Ellis:Â
INS:
- Ceramics
- Trying fun hairstyles
- Statement jewelryÂ
- Reading sociology books
- Madden Girl red leather flats
OUTS:
- Chipped nail polish
- Doomscrolling
- Sleeping in makeup
- Being harsh on yourself
Linzey Rigsby:
INS:
- Weekly at home dinners with friends
- Finding a creative outlet (whether that’s physical mediums or digital ones)
OUTS:
- The concept of cringe culture! It’s targeted towards marginalized groups and there’s too much going on in the world to fuel more hate towards communities for being themselves. Use that energy for bigger things! Â
The vibe for 2026 is looking like lots of self love and time spent with friends! Our girls want to be creative, fun, full of life, and focus on their academics this year. It’s never too late to make your own ins and outs list for the year, so start now! Take inspiration from our own lists and be the person you’ve always aspired to be!Â