It is that time of the year again where we have to return to school to continue their academic journey. While we go to school to pursue an education, we also need time to do things that are not academic related. In doing activities like these, it make school more enjoyable for anyone. This school year, make a promise to do some of the following this year:

1. Pull an All-Nighter

No, this does not mean the kind of all-nighters where you get together with your friends and stay up the whole night studying (and probably crying) for a major exam. You can do this for fun. Have some friends over one night and spend it binge watching a show on Netflix, play videogames, watch movies, or even talk. You might not be happy about the lack of sleep, but you will be grateful for spending an entire night getting to hang out with your friends.

2. Go somewhere outside of where you usually go

College is all about trying new things, right? The simplest way that you can do that is by going somewhere that you normally would not go to during the week. This can be a bar, restaurant, or even a new route on the way to work. In trying someplace new, it may lead to more new experiences and new people. This can help you make more friends and get you to do more things that are outside your comfort zone.

3. Take an elective class

If you have the freedom to do so, consider taking an elective this quarter. The nice thing about being able to choose a class outside of your major is that it once again opens you up to new experiences. These new experiences may even lead you to declaring a minor or a major in the subject. Maybe the class focuses on one of your favorite hobbies. Even if the class is not part of your major, you can still find value in the class and learn a useful skill for your future career.

4. Enjoy the year more, stress out less

This is something that every student should be doing every single year in college. Sure, we all have our days where things can get really overwhelming and you will get stressed out over an assignment. However, you cannot allow the stress to get to you all the time. You are living in a time of your life where you are meant to make mistakes, explore the world and learn more about yourself. Take the time to utilize your university to help you make the most of your experience. Everything will work itself out (hard to believe, but everything does work out) so do not worry about a thing.

The beautiful thing about the start of a new school year is that it is in many ways a reset button for all of us. When the school years starts, we all start a new page in the stories of our lives. Since you start the new year fresh, how about making a couple promises to yourself about things that you will do this year?