We’re now already a week into 2019, and you may or may not have compiled yourself a mental list of a few overambitious New Year’s resolutions. Sticking to new year goals can be even harder for college students in particular. When you have to juggle school, work, and a social life all at the same time, how does one have the energy to stay on track with anything otherwise?
Well, I’m here to tell you that the key to keeping them is simply to keep them realistic. The saying “don’t bite off more than you can chew” is heavily applicable here. Yes, the point of having New Year’s resolutions is to kiss goodbye old habits and say hello to making some extraordinary changes. But also remember that you’ve got a whole year to work on them, not just the month of January, so take it easy, be honest with yourself, and get to achieving!
Here are some very attainable and realistic resolutions to kick off your year:
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1. Eat Something Green
When you’ve got a lot on your plate (pun slightly intended), remember to make room for at least one green portion per day. Even if it’s just a generous scoop of spinach or cup of kale, it’s important to intake nutrients from leafy greens on a daily basis. For those who don’t favor green veggies like myself, drinking green smoothies is one super easy alternative to make them more enjoyable.
2. Less Instagramming
And Facebooking. Snapchatting, too. Most of us are probably still on holiday break, which means some of us still have a little more partying to do. It can be challenging to hold back on posting to our stories constantly. It can also be really easy to compare our progress to others every time we scroll and swipe through Instagram. If you stop prioritizing social media, or at least limit your time on there, you’ll find that it will be so much easier to focus on yourself and follow through with your goals.
3. Become Good At Multitasking
Multitasking is the one skill that no one ever really tells you about to prepare for the real world. Just like I did throughout my four years at uni, you’ll learn quickly that being able to multitask is the secret to “adulting.” If you’re wondering if watching Stranger Things on Netflix while talking to your friend on the phone counts, I’d say that’s a good start!
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4. Be In Bed By Midnight
Getting in bed before midnight would be more ideal, but since this is about realistic goals, catching your Z’s by midnight should be in every college student’s top five resolutions. Some swear that they can get by with only three or four hours of sleep, but going to sleep as early as possible really makes all the difference to your overall physical health and mental clarity. Even if you don’t feel tired, let your body rest so that you can be more likely to fall asleep before the clock strikes one.
5. Finish Assignments A Day Early
No matter how many times our professors warn us not to do our work last minute, it’s safe to say that the average student does exactly the contrary. Procrastination is the slick, sweet-talking devil on our shoulder and the bane of all college students’ existences. It doesn’t have to be this year, though. If you can’t leave yourself a couple of days in advance for a completed assignment, finishing one day early is practical and doable enough.