This year, CM invites you to keep it real with your New Year’s resolutions. Vowing to forgo french fries for salads at every meal may seem like a good idea, but within a few weeks you are likely to find yourself fingers-deep in that delicious grease, hating and loving yourself at the same time. Here are some realistic resolutions for the college student to embark on a successful 2013.
1. Ditch the excuses. Don’t take advantage of your professor’s soft side by turning in an assignment late with the vague explanation of a “family emergency.” Get things in on time—you’ll be glad you did when the assignment is no longer hanging over your head.
2. Eat breakfast every day. Eating breakfast kick starts your energy as well as your metabolism for the day. Keep grab-and-go breakfast foods on hand for days that you oversleep and are running late to class.
3. Nip roommate problems in the bud. It doesn’t take long to build a laundry list of reasons that the person who sleeps in the bed next to yours is on your last nerve. Before your list of grievances gets out of control, peacefully address what could be done to improve your living situation for the both of you.
4. Enhance your iTunes library. Spotify and Pandora are great, but if the last song you added to your iPod was “Call Me Maybe,” it is time to give your library some love.
5. Say YES to going to class. Skipping class is tempting, until you find yourself scrambling to get a copy of someone’s notes the night before the big exam.
6. Say NO to Facebooking in class. Spending entire class periods on social media sites is another foolproof way to end the semester with little to no notes.
7. Build karma points. Be on the lookout for opportunities to help someone out, especially strangers in need. This seems obvious, but tends to get lost within the college bubble.
8. Maintain an updated planner. Whether you use a physical booklet or an online calendar, writing deadlines down ahead of time gives you one less excuse to leave things for the last minute.
9. Make the most of a fleeting semester. Seniors, this is especially true for you. Don’t waste time telling your friends how stressed you are. Instead, let your friends help you de-stress by grabbing coffee to talk about everything but schoolwork and job searches.
10. Join a club. The beginning of the semester is prime recruitment time for campus groups. Sit in on some meetings and get a feel for where you belong.
11. Go into summer with a plan. Aren’t you tired of the store/restaurant/summer camp where you worked throughout high school? Whether you have your sights set on landing an internship, working in a beach town with friends or taking classes abroad, make it happen.
12. Appreciate your professors. It may feel like professors only exist to make your life difficult, but you’ll miss them one day when you’re answering to a real boss. A simple “thank you” at the end of class goes a long way, and who knows—maybe one day you’ll need that professor to write you a recommendation for your future boss.
13. Learn how to have fun without draining your bank account. Make dinner for your friends instead of going to a restaurant. Spend the day exploring the city without purchasing anything (besides maybe some food). Your wallet will thank you!
