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As a new year and new quarter are rung in, a time for reflection and new beginnings emerges. Often, that means writing New Year’s resolutions that end up being very similar to the prior year’s goals. However, TikTok has come up with a fun new way to make sure you have a plan for your 2024!
On your For You Page, you might have seen the popular “Ins and Outs List,” a collection of activities, things, and ideas people think will live on into 2024, and what will die out. This is a riff off when stylists predict trends that will come about in the new year, as seen here. As college students, we have many things we are trying to balance at once, and it’s nice to write out our goals for the new year and strive to make them come alive. With that being said, this is a list of ins and outs you can use for inspiration of your own!
In: Self Care Routine
Self care can be as simple as taking the time to make a coffee or go on a walk. Having a routine set up is “clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, increase happiness, and more,” according to experts at Mental Health First Aid.
For example, every weekend I like to wash my sheets, take an everything shower, and eat dinner with a couple of my friends. For me, having this to fall back on makes getting ready for the next week of classes a lot easier (and gives me something to look forward to during a long week)!
Out: All Nighters
With midterms basically being a quarter-round occurrence at UCSB, all nighters are common to cram some studying in. However, experts say it’s not worth it. In an article from The Sleep Foundation, it’s said that missing sleep can inhibit people’s minds and bodies as much as alcohol intoxication. In 2024, try to go to bed early and wake up a couple hours before class if you need to get some last-minute work done!
In: Skimming readings for class
I get it, a lot of assigned readings for class can be dull and have challenging language that makes you feel like it’s not worth spending 45 minutes poring over. However, even a light skim can give your brain the chance to absorb some material before the next lecture. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth describes skimming as “getting the essence from reading material without reading all the words.” What a great way to save time!
Out: Not doing the assigned readings
We’ve all been there — sorting through our Google Calendar and seeing that we have hours of reading due before lecture tomorrow. It’s really easy to make excuses to not read, but plan on leaving that in 2023! Often, content from assigned readings appears on midterms and finals, so just doing the readings will save a lot of cram time.
In: Getting a fun sweet treat!
After a long day of classes, a sweet treat is a great way to reward yourself for just showing up! Plus, having an iced matcha to carry around makes you feel very much like a main character in a rom com. Here’s a list of IV favs from Her Campus at UCSB!
Out: Negative People
Over the years, I have found that when I surround myself with people who are consistently pessimistic, it puts a huge damper on my mood. It’s totally okay to have bad days and not be in the best state of mind, but having this happen persistently can drag down other people with you. In fact, a study mentioned in a University of Oxford article found that “mood is contagious, and though both positive and negative moods are ‘caught,’ bad moods are more potent.” In 2024, remember that it’s okay to vent to your friends and hear them out, but grant yourself permission to take a step back if you feel yourself becoming influenced.
In: Lip Combos!
Having a set lip liner, gloss, and stain combo makes getting ready so much easier, and is a great way to feel put-together! A personal favorite of mine is the Kopari Coconut Lip Glossy in Clear Glossy Shine and Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Rum Raisin (it makes for a super cute “your lips but better” color), but here are some celebrity favs according to Bustle.
Out: FOMO
UCSB has a prevalent work hard, play hard culture, and it can be easy to get swept up into going out because your friends are going, or you see a cute pre-party digital photo on Instagram and feel like you have to go, too. But it’s totally okay to stay home and chill! Sometimes we need a movie and face mask night in, and if you pressure yourself to go out, you won’t be in the right mindset and probably won’t have as much fun. Plus, if you stay in, it’ll make the nights you do decide to get dressed up and take on the streets of IV a lot more exciting!
What are your “Ins and Outs” this quarter, Gauchos?