January 1st, starting off the New Year right with a mental list full of resolutions and goals for yourself for the year. February 1st, already broke almost every resolution on the list, too tired to care, can’t even remember the last two resolutions. Sound familiar?
To create a list of new year’s resolutions that you’ll actually follow (or at least have a better chance at following), start by writing each resolution down on paper, and ask yourself if each resolution is something you actually want. Make sure to note if any of your resolutions conflict, if each one is realistic while still challenging and if they are positive and detailed. Read your resolutions out loud each day to remind yourself of your goals and to impress them more deeply on your mind.
Make sure each of your resolutions is about only you because you cannot change what other people do. Make sure they are detailed enough so that you can visualize yourself achieving them. Make sure you know exactly what you want, so later in the year, you won’t be confused by what you scribbled down 8 months ago.
Realistically, you can tell yourself that you will make a difference in your diet! Rather than going insane, however, tell yourself you will eat one or two sweet treats every week rather than cutting them out completely. I know that counting calories or pounds on a scale does not necessarily work for me because if I forget to add exactly what I ate or record how much I weigh one day, I won’t go back to it. With that being said, challenging yourself in moderation will not only make a difference with your weight, but it will also positively affect your health!
Along the same lines, you can challenge yourself to work out more and exercise more, but not necessarily based on the number on the scale. Building muscle will cause that number on the scale to increase, so that number should not dictate how you feel about yourself. Again, be specific and tell yourself you will work out one or two times more per week rather than saying you’ll make it there every day of the week. Set a realistic goal for yourself, and go for it!
Put this last quarter behind you, and revamp your study habits! If you struggled through last quarter, try mixing it up! Try studying in a different place, use your calendar on your phone, highlight your textbooks, create flash cards and take notes in the margins of your readings. Part of your study habits are your organizational skills. Do your homework as you find free time throughout the day rather than in the last 10 minutes before the deadline. You can also clear your living space and book bag out to clear your mind! It’ll give you one less thing to stress over if you can find every scrap of paper you took notes on.
For me, I’ve made a few resolutions for myself as we head into 2019. I want to go to my professor’s office hours at least three times each over the course of the winter quarter, organize my desk and exercise at least once a week. Good luck with your resolutions, and Happy New Year!!