For one whole week, gyms will be overflowing and every major juice cleanse will be on promotion. It’s beginning to look a lot like New Year’s resolutions! If you still haven’t decided on yours, here are some realistic goals for college students by college students:
Ditch McDonald
Fast food addiction is real, and can make you thicker while thinning your wallet. Commit to cooking at home more often. If you don’t know how to cook for yourself, resolve to learn. Who knows, it might be your next hobby!
Be More Active
Weight-loss is the most common New Year’s resolution, but some people give up when they don’t see results right away. Perhaps a more realistic goal would be to commit to being more physically active as a change in your overall lifestyle. If you work out because you like the mood and energy boost it gives you in the short term, it will be easier to stay motivated for the long term.
Don’t Go Out Every Weekend
Alcoholism doesn’t happen overnight, but can start around this time. The more you drink, the more you’ll want to drink, and so on. Remind yourself that there are more important things in life than the party. Travel, go see a movie, visit your family, study more, be useful. Inversely, if you never go out, maybe you should once in awhile. Have your crazy fun in moderation.
Watch Less Netflix
In a similar vein with being more active, watching less TV leaves time for other less couch-potatoey things. Go for a walk or exercise your mind by reading a good book. There are plenty of ways to unwind at the end of a long day other than binge-watching American Horror Story.
Focus on You
If you’re single, make 2019 the year you stop complaining about it. There is no love more important than the one you have for yourself, and self-love can take many different forms. Find something you like to do, or something you can do regularly that makes you happy in small ways. Take the time out to light a candle for yourself, shave your legs because you like the way they feel under the covers, try yoga, have a spa day for one, or buy those new shoes you’ve been waiting for. The rest will come naturally.
Save That Money
Some of the best ways to do this are eating out less and not drinking as often. You might not realize how much you spend until you see how much you save!
Be More Sociable
If your crippling social anxiety is preventing you from making friends, this goal may at first seem impossible. However, remember that most students are hoping to make friends too. Take yourself out of your comfort zone and get to know someone from each of your courses and extracurriculars. The initial awkwardness is well worth the possible reward.
Take School Seriously
New year, new grades. Start the Spring semester off right by staying on top of all your assignments. Maybe your resolution is to not procrastinate, or maybe it’s to just study more. Set a positive tone for the rest of the year, and remember: there’s no such thing as overachieving.
Whatever you decide to do, make it count and make it last! If your resolution is too unrealistic by your own standards, you probably won’t stick with it for very long.
See also: Why Your New Year’s Resolution Should Involve Eliminating Added Sugar
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