Written by Lauren Bruce
Take 10,000 steps a day.
Especially as students, we spend a large part of our days on our butts. Think about it – you’re in class, in the car, on the bus, studying at the Knight, watching Netflix, eating, in bed, in class again, and finally back to bed and all you really did was walk one place to the next. Unless you’re eating on-the-go or doing your binge-watching at the REC, you might be spending more time sitting around than you realize. You don’t have to dust off your ratty old tennis shoes and snap a sweat-band around your head in order to be healthier. Setting a goal to walk 10,000 steps a day can significantly improve your health. Your phone will even count your steps for you. Make it a goal to reach a different number of steps each day. Compete with your friends. Make it enjoyable!
Write down one good thing that happens every day.
This could be in the form of a journal or just simply written on the back of a gum wrapper and shoved into a jar at the end of the day. It can be drawn, bullet-pointed, written in prose or just scribbled on the back of your Math 111 textbook. However you want to do it, by the end of the year you’ll have a about 365 good memories to look back on. Plus writing down one good thing that happens each day will help to remind you to keep a positive outlook as you crush your daily, hectic schedule.
Read at least one news article a day.
It’s good to be informed, and now’s a fantastic time to start keeping up with what’s happening in the world. If you’ve been feeling left out of the conversation, or just maybe want some intelligent conversation starters, try reading a news article a day. Just make sure you get your news from credible sources. You can get notifications for topics you’re interested in, so you’re always on top of what’s going on in your world.
Only check social media once a day and/or reduce the amount of time you spend on social media.
Many of us (ahem, present company included) spend far too much time on our phones. Maybe you’ve realized this past year that it’s just gone too far. So make a resolution to check your phone less! Maybe you want to reduce your social media usage to an hour a day, or less. Some go as far as deleting apps like Facebook and Twitter that are accessible on a laptop. You can even download an app called “Moment” that will track how often you check your iphone. A similar app, “Breakfree” is available for download on the Google Play store. Whatever your motivation or goal, you might find that setting this resolution will give you back some time in your day.
Give a certain amount of hugs a day.
Maybe you just need a simple resolution this year. One that’s not so hard to do, and could even be good for you, as well as those around you. So set a goal to give more hugs than you do, see how many you can get, and maybe you’ll end up brightening someone’s day. Just don’t go sneaking up on strangers and hugging them. That’s weird.
Take a selfie everyday, or just a photo of something you want to remember about the day.
Youtube search “a selfie a day” and you’ll understand why this is something you should do this year. Whether you put it into a compilation at the end of the year or not, you’ll have a day by day documentation of the progress you’ve made throughout the year. The more you change, the cooler it’ll look. Maybe you don’t want to be in front of the camera? Then take a picture each day of a significant part of your day. Maybe you had a great study session with a friend, or you took a walk and saw a cool leaf, or you dropped your bagel shmear on your roommate’s Nikes. Collect memories and have a year in review next New Year’s Eve. Who know’s? Your photography might even improve a little!
Commit to calling a family member routinely.
Okay, bear with me on this one. Whether this is daily, weekly, or monthly, set a time for you to call and keep them updated on your life, and make sure to keep updated on theirs as well. You might be surprised how a simple act can change your relationship with them. Whether it’s your mom or grandparent or twice-removed cousin, showing a little interest goes a long way. They sure will appreciate it, and it could turn out to be fun for you as well.
Learn Breathing Exercises.
Maybe you’re not a yogi. That’s okay, you really don’t have to be. Breathing techniques are easy to learn and can help with issues like anxiety, sleeplessness, and even tiredness. Look up common techniques online and give yourself the chance to relax and organize your thoughts. Pranayamas have been used for centuries to bring balance to your body. 2017 is a great time to focus on unity and balance.
Learn a language.
Learning a new language makes for a great resume addition, and learning the culture behind the language is an incredible way to broaden your perspective. You don’t have to be fluent or an expert to benefit from this resolution. Learn a few words a day and bring diversity into your life. Set a goal so by the end of the year you’ll know a few phrases and understand a few traditions that have shaped a certain language and culture for centuries.
Get organized.
Create a bullet journal, make a calendar, get a planner, or just vow to keep your room clean. Whatever you do, being organized is key to keeping your life together and on track so you’re not forgetting homework assignments or losing track of time. If you have a book to read by next week, break it into parts and bookmark the places you’ll need to reach by the end of each day. Visual learners can benefit from creating a bullet journal, a journal designed to keep lists that you’ll need each day. Whether it’s a to do list or a calendar for the week, you can use drawings, designs, colors, and anything you could possibly want to organize your thoughts. And the best part is all you need is a blank notebook and something to write with.