On New Year’s Eve, many of us think about how we are going to reinvent ourselves for the New Year. Every year, we also tend to accidentally break one of our many resolutions. But if you think you won’t use “going back to school” as an excuse to give up on your resolutions, here are a few ideas of what you can aim for.
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Health Goals
- I'll go to the gym every day
- I won’t eat fast food throughout the week (instead, I'll eat at home)
- I'll take active study breaks (for example, stopping every 25 minutes for a set of jumping jacks)
- I'll find the salad bar station in the dining hall
School Goals
- I'll go to every class
- I won’t miss an assignment
- I will not oversleep when I could be doing something productive
- I will probably not already calculate the minimum amount of work to pass my classes
Social Goals
- I will not stay out late when I have class the next morning
- I will text people back within an acceptable amount of time
- I will make a friend in each class to study with
- I will not use a trip to Target (or wherever I can never leave before closing) as an excuse to hang out with friends when I should be doing work
Financial Goals
- I will not spend any gift money I receive over the holidays right away (on unnecessary school supplies)
- I will attempt to follow some sort of savings plan (like only one Starbucks a day)
- I will keep the change when I spend cash and do something productive with it
- I will make the most of my education because I am paying to be here
If you can accomplish all of these the first week of school, I’d call it a successful semester to say the least. More power to you. If not, that is okay; you have the rest of the semester to stick to your chosen resolutions (or continue breaking them). College is hard, but keeping New Year’s resolutions is harder.
Hint: For successful goal-setting, consider just picking one or two goals to focus on, and check in each month to see how you're doing.
graduated in December 2017 from UNC with a major in Exercise Science. She plans to earn her Ph.D. in Public Health, but before grad school starts, she's enjoying a well-earned break.