CS Lewis once said, “You are never too old to set another goal or dream another dream.” With 2017 beginning, people are doing just that. New Year’s Resolutions abound! People all over the world are setting goals, aspiring to lofting ideals. I prefer to make resolutions that are more attainable, fewer goals with specific results, goals that will make my second semester of college more productive than my first. These goals are not just for me, however; they are words that I hope will be universal.

1. I will not go to Bath & Body Works multiple times in the same week. In other words, I will be more wise with my money.

There is a Bath & Body Works about five minutes away from my dorm. As a result, I spent way too much money at Bath & Body Works during my first semester of college. I went to Bath & Body Works all the time, sometimes multiple times in the same week. At this rate, to use all of my products, I will have to bathe and slather myself with lotion multiple times a day. In 2017, I resolve to spend less money at Bath & Body Works, and I will not go to Bath & Body Works multiple times in the same week. Bath and Body Works was my “go to” place to relax, smell nice scents, and escape from the pressures of my schoolwork. This year I resolve to find at least one hobby would meet those same criteria, but not cause me to spend excessive amounts of money. When I feel the need to escape, I can take a walk or go sit in the eno. I will focus more on finding that same feeling of satisfaction doing something that will not cost me a dime.

2. I will not set multiple alarms, only to press snooze on them all and wake up almost an hour late.

I am not a morning person in the slightest. I love to sleep, and I have a very hard time waking up when my alarm goes off. To ensure I wake up when I need to, I set multiple alarms with upbeat songs from Broadway musicals; however, rather than actually get up out of the bed when the alarms go off, I press snooze and roll back over and try to go back to sleep. I don’t just press snooze once or twice, but several times. It’s probably a good thing I take forever to get ready in the morning, otherwise, I’d have been late to every single morning class I had last semester. In 2017, I will work to wake up on time, and not press snooze over and over and over, so I can get up and get ready for the day and not annoy my suitemates with my alarms.

3. When in the library, I will spend more time actually studying and less time watching Law & Order: SVU. In other words, I will focus more during my time of studying, and not be distracted.

Most of my friends and family, especially those I’m friends with on SnapChat, know that I spend a great deal of time in the library. While I spend most of the time studying, I watch Law & Order: SVU while trying to study or complete homework. Believe it or not, the “background noise” helps me tune out other sounds around me. Often times, though, I concentrate more on the storyline of the SVU episode than on the content I am studying, resulting in my having to spend more time studying the same information. In 2017, while I will still spend a good deal of time in the library, I will spend that time focused more on studying, rather than focusing more on the lowlifes Benson, Fin, Rollins, Carisi, and Barba are trying to put in jail. Most of us have some sort of device with us while we are studying. My challenge will be in finding something that does not require so much of my attention, and therefore, ultimately, shorten the amount of time I spend in the library studying. My goal is to make better use of my time, so that I can enjoy more that my campus has to offer, and be involved in more outside organizations, and meet more people.

Ultimately, as I look at my goals for 2017, I am trying to be more focused. Although my first semester was a blast, I know that my second will be even better!