What better time for a reset than the start of a new month and the official first month of fall? I personally think there is no better time!
The first month-and-a-half of my last semester as an undergrad is flying by. I have been trying to stay on top of coursework while applying for grad schools and soaking up my last months of college life. It feels like the hourglass has been turned over, and the sand is rushing down.
The start of a new month presented the perfect opportunity for a reset. A reset can take on different meanings for different people. To me, I am viewing this reset as a way to look inward and reflect on the first part of my senior year … looking at where I feel I have succeeded and where I feel I can improve. Upon reflecting, I came up with a list of things that I want to focus on for the rest of the semester, and I am calling it my fall reset!
- Start everyday with something for yourself– This can range from waking up early to go to the gym or for a morning walk to clear my head, reading a few chapters of a book, listening to my favorite music, watching an episode of my favorite show, or calling a family member or friend from home. I believe that starting the day doing something for yourself will allow you to feel energized to tackle whatever comes your way.
- Prioritize hydration and nutrition– Make sure that you are hydrating and getting the nutrients you need to eliminate brain fogginess, headaches, and fatigue. This will set you up for success and also make you less susceptible to the always looming campus colds.
- Create adaily schedule using pencil and paper- It is so easy to use Outlook calendar, the iPhone calendar, or reminders app; however, I think there is something different about using pencil and paper. I think it provides you with a clearer vision of what you need to accomplish each day. Using a pencil gives me the ability to change (erase) my plan, knowing that the day will not always go how I envisioned, and that is perfectly okay.
- Practice time management– No matter where you are in your college career, you can always improve your time management skills. Oftentimes, an assignment that should take me an hour to complete takes me several. Instead of locking-in, I take frequent breaks, going on my phone to check Instagram and other social platforms. I want to be better at this because the more focused I am, the more time I will have to actually do things that fill my cup. I want to practice the 45/15 method … 45 minutes of work/study, 15 methods of a break. On those breaks, I don’t want to resort to scrolling on my phone, but instead getting up stretching my legs and going for a short walk.
- Take advantage of the nice weather because it’s going to be gone before you know it– Most days it has still felt like summer; however, October has brought in a chill in the air. I want to make sure I soak up the warm, sunny weather before the days turn grey and the sunsets are at 4pm. Going on a walk to start your day, going on a hike with a friend, or simply sitting outside to do your homework or read a book are all ways to soak up the remaining good weather days.
- Say yes to more things!– It is really easy to say no. With classes, work, and extracurriculars, time is limited. In my reflection, I have realized that what I am going to look back on in 10 years is not the assignments I did, but the memories I made. So, I am now making the promise to myself and I encourage you all to also do so, is to say yes because the homework is always going to be there, but the memories will not.