With the school year already underway, it can be hard to find a routine that not only works but that you can stick to. It may seem like a good idea to set high standards for yourself, but you can do more harm than good by putting pressure on yourself to constantly be caught up on homework, go to the gym regularly, see your friends, and get enough sleep. Instead of trying to achieve perfection in every area of your life you may want to start by setting attainable goals. Below is a list of my school year resolutions; hopefully they inspire you to set some of your own!
1. Spend less money on food.
This is one of my biggest bad habits during the school year. Grabbing lunch at school seems so much easier than bringing food, and I’ve spent way more money than I’d like to admit on this bad habit. Buying lunch every so often when you have a busy day isn’t a bad idea, but it can get very costly. Instead of spending, take 15 minutes out of your evening to get food together for the next day. Your wallet will thank you!
2. Cut out distractions.
We’re all guilty of it: just answering one text turns into falling down the rabbit hole of the Instagram explore page for 20 minutes. If putting your phone away completely doesn’t work for you, try setting a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and working consistently until the timer goes off. Also, don’t forget to keep these breaks regimented to a short amount of time, like 5 or 10 minutes. This strategy has been a lifesaver for me.
3. Be more proactive with my time.
This resolution goes hand in hand with the previous one – time management is crucial for productivity. If you have breaks in between classes during your school day, it may be a good idea to go to the library and get an assignment started instead of spending the time sitting with your friends. Some socialization is important, but you’ll thank yourself later if you take advantage of breaks you have while on campus.
4. Say “yes” a little more often.
The main purpose of university is to end up with a degree and employable skills, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself in the process. One of the biggest areas I would like to improve upon is my spontaneity; sometimes the unexpected plans can be the most fun. You’re only in university for a limited time and you’ll get more out of it if you participate in more than just the academics. So next time you get invited to a football game or a last minute coffee date, don’t hold yourself back from at least considering saying yes.
Hopefully this list of my personal school year resolutions helped inspire you to think of some small changes that can be made in your own life to improve your academic success and overall university experience!