As the countdown, until school starts turns from weeks to days, I have, on numerous occasions, found myself making a mental list of Do's and Don'ts for the year. I survived freshman year, made the mistakes, did all of the stereotypical first year things- procrastinating on homework, running to B-Dubs at 12:30 AM, waking up 7 minutes before class, wearing pajamas to class (due to the previous), gaining the freshman 15 (give or take...), and now I am ready to get down to business and not just "survive" this school year. I want to better myself as a person and use this school year to adopt healthy habits that will lead to a healthy lifestyle not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. So, without further adieu, here are all of the ways in which I hope to better myself during the upcoming school year!

1. Stay on top of homework.

I am a terrible procrastinator. I have been putting off homework 'til the last-second since like sixth grade. I hate that I do it to myself but it's always been who I am-until now. Now, I know that probably every single high school and college student gives themselves the anti-procrastination spiel at the beginning of every school year. I have heard the speech from myself and those who love me hundreds of times. This year, though, I'm going to really try to put my mind to it and be intentional about getting my work done on time. It's so worth it to not be stressed and tired in the morning because I was up til 3:30 AM writing that paper I've known about for 3 weeks. To help with the procrastination issue, we arrive at number 2.

2. Use your planner.

I love the thought of being super organized, My heart is happy when I'm scrolling through Pinterest and I see pins of perfectly highlighted planners with color-coordinated, perfectly neat handwriting filling the pages. The thing is, I need to actually apply this to my life. So, I've got my fancy planner, complete with a sticker page in the back, and a shiny new highlighter and I'm getting down to it! First-order of business after I print out all of those syllabi is to fill in all of my assignments and tests in the handy-dandy planner. I hope this thing becomes my lifeline.

3. Get ready every morning.

Living on campus definitely has its perks. I mean, who can complain about leaving at 7:57 for your 8 AM class and not being late?! The problem last year was that I took advantage of the situation and didn't get out of bed until 10 minutes before I had to leave-about enough time to brush my teeth and throw my hair into a pile on top of my head. What's the problem, you ask? Well, not having an actual morning routine often left me grumpy and not ready to learn in those early morning classes and more likely to go back to bed later rather than actually be productive. My plan for this year is to get up with enough time in the morning to wake up, let my coffee take effect, and get ready- as in, put on real clothes instead of the t-shirt I wore to bed last night, do my hair, and put some makeup on. I am by no means saying that I will look cute and preppy every single day, but having that time to actually establish a healthy morning routine will make me feel more prepared and alert to take on the day!

4. Make your bed.

This may seem like kind of an odd one. What does making your bed have to do with being a better person? Some people never make their bed, some only do when they clean their room or are having company over, some will make their bed every day, even if it's right before they get into it so they can get into a made bed, for some, it's an honor thing. My grandma used to tell me "If the house started on fire and the bed wasn't made, I wouldn't want the firefighters in my house seeing unmade beds!" and I would laugh and cringe because I am one of those people who never makes their bed at home. I think there are two major reasons that I want to make making my bed a priority this year. First, it will help make the room look neat and tidy(which we will talk about later). Second, having my bed made will deter me from getting back under the covers during the day and being very unproductive.

5. Get Healthy.

I know what you're thinking. This is the epitome of resolutions and it is generally the first to go out the window...I know! But, a moment of brutal honesty here, I desperately need to get healthy. In order to be "the best version of myself" (to be incredibly cliché), I need to make some changes to my life. It starts with healthy food choices in the dining hall and extends to making that nightly hour at the gym a priority. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will give me more energy to accomplish all of the other things on this list!

6. Make more friends.

Last year, I spent too much time in my room and didn't take advantage of all of the social activities my school has to offer and I missed out on meeting some great people and forming some lasting friendships. This year, I want to be a little bit more social, even if it means being uncomfortable and vulnerable for a short time.

7. Stay off of your phone.

This is a joint effort between me and someone dear to me. We both decided we spend wayyyy too much time mindlessly scrolling through feeds of social media when we could be using our time in more productive ways. Check out this list of alternatives by one of my peers!

8. Read more books.

If I stick with number 7, I will probably have a lot more free time on my hands with which I can do other hobbies. I would love to finish that blanket I started knitting or work on my calligraphy skills, but more importantly, I should really read a book or 3 or 40. Reading is such a profitable pastime, especially if you're equipped with good, solid reading material. This year, I would love to make a dent in my reading list that seems to get books added to it at a much quicker pace than that of which they are checked off. If all else fails, maybe I can just knock a few out over Christmas break.

9. Keep the room clean.

For the sake of my roommate and myself, it is important that I keep the room clean. Living in a clean and tidy space increases productivity and makes me feel a bit more on top of things (or at least it does in my mind). And, practically speaking, keeping the room organized will lessen the stress of not knowing where things are and shoving things under beds and in random drawers when friends come to visit.

10. Drink more water.

This one goes along with the "get healthy" theme a bit, but I think it is important enough to be kept separate. Proper hydration has so many benefits for the body, including on the brain. I bought about 18 giant stainless steel tumblers this summer, so this shouldn't be an issue. Plus, coffee is basically just flavored water so that counts...right?

Well, there ya have it. 10 ways in which I will {attempt to} increase my productivity in the upcoming school year. We can reconvene this meeting in May to see whether I transformed my life or failed miserably!