Happy New Year folks! Here's to hoping we stick to our resolutions. Since the day after Christmas, a certain lightbulb idea and burst of motivation popped into my head. After all, the only real obstacle between me and what I want to achieve is essentially me.

It's January 2, and we all know what that means. *cue gif*

Yup...Instagram

Now, that's not true for everyone. But I am determined to make this year as meaningful and productive as possible. I'll be one year closer to my twenties, and sadly, our information-retaining capacity and physical fitness peaks in our early adulthood years, or so I learned in my Intro to Human Development class last semester. Speaking of my last semester, I'm going into my final part of freshman year and you could say that I've learned from a few mistakes.

For one, I've learned that if you're not careful, sleep schedules can really turn your life upside down. Of course, I knew that in middle and high school too, but I didn't really have the same energy-depletive schedule then as I have now. Sure I had extracurriculars and academics to balance, but that doesn't compare to the physical toll that a straight three-hour, standing-only Freshman Chemistry lab has on you.

Another freshman mistake to possibly avoid: yes, we know there's a 24-hour dining hall that is probably open to cater to all the kids who don't quite have a grip on a regular eating schedule. I know I definitely fell victim to the prospect of "Midnight Snelling" and waffles + other breakfast foods at 2 am...but let's be honest. The human body is not meant to consume scrambled eggs and Georgia G-stamped waffles and diet Coke at your college dining hall that late in the night/early in the morning.

These two bad habits combined to ensure that I ended up taking naps at every free moment I got, seeing as my body was too tired from staying up doing homework and nourishing myself to function. I plan on changing that this semester...and year. I've had a bad habit of staying up late even when I have no reason other than wasting time. For example, I could have slept so much more this break but the movie binge I was on prevented me from doing so.

Another thing I want to change for next semester is to network more. Sure, I made good friends in my classes, but not as many as I would have liked to. However, I didn't really have the time or energy to do so. I also didn't initially feel the need to, seeing as how I go to college in the same town I've grown up in for 16 years. I was dead wrong. You really need people to be there when you're in a slump and need a little pick-me-up.

This all being said, I've included my resolutions for this year below. You're probably thinking that I won't stick to them, and to be honest, so is the negative demon in my head that likes to discourage me whenever I know I need to achieve something. So...haters back off. Maybe my list will inspire you too. If I manage to stick to my goals, you'll definitely probably get an update on them at some point. And if not, may the list below rest in peace. Happy New Year friends, and may this be the best year for you yet.