The new semester means a new start for me. Every semester, I try to sit down and think about what I can do to better myself whether that be about my health, classes, or my life in general. For this semester, I thought about which habits I want to either start or continue to do better. Feel free to take some of my ideas for yourself.
- Making my bed every day.
I started doing this once I moved into my dorm, and I want to continue the habit for the rest of the semester and year. I never had to make my bed in the morning growing up unless I was cleaning it, so I never got into the habit of doing it. I started doing it this semester because my bed isn’t lofted this year so naturally, I have a bunch of storage and other miscellaneous items under my bed. When I make my bed, you’re unable to see the storage because it is covered by my comforter. Also, because my bed isn’t lofted and my roommate’s bed is, my bed is one of the first things you see when you come into my room. When my bed is made, it makes our space feel cleaner when people come over. And who doesn’t love getting into a made bed after a long day?
- Drinking more water.
I’m really bad at drinking water and really any liquids at all, so I’m in a constant state of dehydration. I get migraines and not drinking water really does not help them, so I’m hoping being more hydrated will lessen the frequency and pain of my migraines. But also, I should just be drinking more water in general.
- Keeping up with my planner.
I love planners. When I use one, I tend to stay on track of everything I need to get done. Last year, I kept up with my planner and it was great, and I want to continue that this semester. Last year, I also made a color-key for my planner with pens to help me stay on track with my assignments. For example, red meant a big essay, test or project, orange meant readings I needed to get done, and black was for events/club meetings. I learned this also really helped me keep track of things. My planner for this year comes with a to-do list, notes, and habit trackers for every week which is exciting.
- Continuing hobbies that make me happy during the school year.
I’m probably not the first one to admit this but I tend to put things that I enjoy doing to the back during the school year. Last year, I was really bad at this and would get stressed and burnt out easily. I love to read, and I think I only read one or two books during the semesters. In the summer, I tend to read 10-20 books so this was a big step down for me. I’m an English major, so I read a lot for my classes but I’m talking about books to read for fun. My goal is to make 30 minutes a day for me to do something I enjoy. Whether that be reading, crocheting, or tending to my plants, I must do something that I like to do.
- Listening to my body.
I can be bad at doing this. I have a chronic illness that causes my joints to dislocate and brings me pain if I’m not careful or doing too much. I ignore this sometimes in order to get things finished faster or to not feel left out. I’m trying to get in the habit of listening and taking breaks when needed. That goes with my mental health too, and when I’m getting overwhelmed or burnt out, I want to be able to take a break. I shouldn’t be overwhelmed all the time and I want to get in the habit of taking a break.
That’s my list for this semester. It’ll probably grow and change as the semester goes on, but I’m pretty happy with it. I think if I stay in these habits, I’ll be able to better myself and have a good semester.