The start of a new semester is a great chance to make some changes in your life, big or small. Whether you want to eat a bit healthier, feel a bit better, or just switch things up, there are tons of things you can do. Here are five things I’m doing differently this term, and I encourage you to do it along with me, or make some changes of your own!
1) Actively Trying to Eat Healthy Food Options.
Anyone who’s ever lived off a meal plan knows how easy it can be to eat chicken strips, burgers and fries for every other meal. No one is immune to the late-night call of fresh yam fries. But then again, anyone who has ever lived off a meal plan knows how quickly how after three months the thought of another yam fry can bring nausea. So, this semester, to avoid both loosing the love of some of my favorite treat foods, and getting healthy and fit, I’ll be visiting the salad bar and taking the vegetarian option a few more times a week, and trying to get fruits and veggies in every day. Replacing my daily fries with some carrots shouldn’t be that hard, right?
2) Studying in the Library and Not My Room.
Studies say you shouldn’t work where you sleep, but when everything you own exists within a few feet it can be pretty tempting to want to stay inside your dorm room. But there are tons of other places to study on campus! From the library to the comfy seats outside your favorite lecture hall (am I the only one who has one of those?), campus is beautiful and waiting just outside the door! Other perks of working in the library? White noise, the procrastination-smashing guilt of being in public, and being surrounded by books and knowledge. Your dorm room pales in comparison to the library’s merits.
3) Joining the Clubs I said I was going to First Semester, but Didn’t.
Orientation week is a crazy, overwhelming time. There are tons of clubs and course unions that might interest you, but whether it came down to your schedule or new friends, you definitely didn’t join all of them. Clubs are such an important part of the university experience. You can learn new things, make new friends, stay fit. For me, it was yoga, swing dance, and writing for Her Campus – I’m getting a head start here, and by next week I’ll have my swing on. How about you?
4) Exploring the City More.
Living on campus makes it really easy to never leave. Apart from occasional trips to the drugstore to pick up deodorant or snacks and a few visits downtown, I didn’t spend a whole lot of time getting comfortable in the city I’m now living in, and have never lived in before. From hikes and beach trips to visiting new restaurants, boutiques and tourist attractions, I want to explore my city and do new things. On my personal list is taking a pottery class, having real, fresh west coast seafood, and visiting a new beach.
5) Learning to Fill my Own Cup
The number one thing I think we all need to do, especially after a stressful first semester, is spend some time remembering what we’re passionate about and what we enjoy doing. It’s what everything else on this list really amounts to. All the new friendships and experiences in the world can’t fulfill you if they’re not something you’re totally, 100% into. Figure out what makes you happy and healthy, so that when you meet people – even if they’re into different stuff than you are – and find things that also fill you up, you’ll be overflowing with happiness and light.
What are you doing differently? Let us know in the comments below!