Let me tell you something, girlfriend! These past two years have been a hell of a ride for all of us. I mean, from COVID-19, to taking classes online, to the social media world getting out of control, to the crazy political debates, where can one even start? But most importantly, as a college student, my life has been an emotional rollercoaster due to so many personal, academic, and career decisions. First, I applied to the Golden Apple Scholars Program, and got in! Golden Apple is a non-profit organization that helps Illinois college students who want to become teachers get a head start on their careers. They offer mentorship services, scholarships, and so many other amazing resources to help better my career. This was just the beginning of a new journey! Another achievement of mine was working on my physical well-being because I wanted to create a new healthy version of myself. I was able to make better food decisions, while creating new workout routines. So far, things have gotten better, but never easier. If you are looking for new ways to better yourself, here are three simple tips to help you begin a fresh start.
Clean Your room
Our rooms are a reflection of what’s going in our minds and our lives. We spend so much time investing in work, school, relationships, careers, and things that don’t even matter to us. Sometimes, we forget to prioritize lively skills, like organization and communication. You can have a clean resume, but a messy room, full of messy habits. Get your room in order.
- Clean your sheets, covers, and pillows.
- Get rid of things you don’t need.
- Sweep and mop your floors.
- Donate unwanted clothes and shoes.
- Add positive artwork to your wall decor.
- Move things around to help you navigate your destiny.
Change you social Circle
It’s very easy to call everyone your friend because of the nice things they do for you from time to time, or because they are in all of your courses. We have to be mindful of who we call our friends because being friendly is not the same thing as being a friend. If you want to figure out who are your real friends, ask yourself, how often does this friend check up on me? Does this person care about me all the time or only when they need something from me? These questions are critical to understanding the difference between a friendly person and a friend. Another issue with understanding your social life is realizing that having fans on your social media account doesn’t mean you have loyal friends. My hairstylist once told me that loyalty is having my back behind my back! Meaning that it’s easy for people to praise and glorify you when you are in the room, but what happens when you’re not in the room? I know this is challenging for most of us because social media is used for branding, networking, and exploring. However, it’s a very complicated world for creating healthy long-lasting relationships.
Apply yourself
You have probably heard this phrase several times throughout your entire life, especially when it comes to school and career choices. But let me tell you that this statement has challenged me in so many ways. I never thought I’d say this, but the pandemic did benefit me in quite a few ways. First, I got out of my comfort zone. I applied to several internships, scholarships, and jobs to help me work on skills that I never knew I had. Who would’ve thought that I would apply to one of the most prestigious teaching programs in the world, and get in? Well, me of course! I also applied for a study abroad program in Brazil for next spring. This means so much to me because it’s my first time traveling outside of the country. I encourage you to reach out to your advisors, mentors, or professors for opportunities to help you grow.
- Research programs related your goals.
- Email companies.
- Attend events on your campus that interest you.
- Reach out to people in your network.