Another school year, another chance to reinvent yourself. Maybe last semester didn't go as planned. Maybe you didn't achieve the GPA you'd hoped for, or maybe you spent one too many nights watching Netflix alone in your room when you could've been out socializing. The good thing about this time of year is that it gives us an opportunity to better ourselves. Who says you have to wait until January 1 to set new goals?
So here are a few "school year resolutions" I've set for myself that I hope you can apply to your own life.
Study less.
Yes, you read that right. This semester, I am going to spend less time studying. But it's not what you think. One thing I definitely need to improve are my study skills, or lack thereof. My idea of studying is to stare at my text book in bed until I fall asleep the night before a test. Sitting down to write a paper typically consists of three hours of surfing the Internet until I go into panic mode and type six pages worth of gibberish complete with an annotated bibliography. It's not that I need to study more; in fact, I spend too much time on the material. It's just that not enough of it is spent productively. I can stay up all night rereading notes, but how much of that information can I actually understand the next day? So my goal is to study less. But I will make sure that the time I do devote to school work is as valuable and productive as it can be.
Be more social.
Being the introvert that I am, I love being alone. On a busy campus full of people, I cherish the moments I get to myself. As much as I love my roommates and my friends, I really need a solid chunk of me-time each day. However, I still love going out and being around people! But sometimes locking myself in my bedroom during the day gives off a vibe that I don't like to be around other people. So this semester, I'm making it a point to get out and do as many things as possible, no matter how tempting it might be to "Netflix and chill" with myself.
Stress less.
Stress is something that we seemingly have no control over, but I beg to differ. How can you avoid stressful situations? Trick question: you can't. But you can change the way you react to them, which is why one of my school year resolutions is to handle problems with a clear mind, and a positive outlook. To stop worrying about the things that are not in my control. I've learned that a healthy amount of stress can be a good thing. So I will be open to allowing stress into my life, as long as I allow it to motivate me, not consume me.
Take better care of myself.
Self-care is not selfish. If I'm going to be the best version of myself, I need to make myself the priority. Self care is all about making choices that will benefit you. It might mean taking more time to breath and relax, for your own mental health. It might mean making better food choices, for your physical health. It could even be cutting negative people out of your life, for your self esteem. Take a look at your life. See what needs improvement. And make the necessary changes.
