This will be my 22nd New Year’s, and my 15th new semester of school. Since middle school, I have struggled with having long periods of time off of school, and the societal practices of New Year’s Resolutions. In honor of trying to listen to my body, I will not be making a categories-list of improvements, because it has never worked for me. The biggest improvement in my life I have made is going vegan. While eating a Taco Bell Crunchwrap, I decided I didn’t like meat anymore, and days later, dairy tasted gross to me. It was the kickstarting moment of listening to my body, and making a drastic change that I couldn’t have done if I put it on paper. Everything is easier if you actually want to do it, only to make yourself happy.
Everybody has different views on whats works for them. Fourth year Biology major, Savannah Maa, has a good mindset going into the New Year. “I’m a college student, I don’t have time to take tons of breaks. Personally, I think setting goals that are out of reach isn’t good for anyone’s mental health. Having something to work towards, like a smaller, more general goal, is a good way to stay motivated while not devastating yourself.”
There are various ways people can prepare themselves for success for a new semester of school. “Setting daily plans for my upcoming semester’s schedule is my favorite way to figure out when I will have breaks to take care of myself or do homework throughout the day.” Finding that balance in class and homework time in advance is comforting to have a nice game plan going in.
Sometimes people get a little stir crazy when they have too much time on their hands, and Maa is one of them. “Working out keeps me motivated, the busier I set my schedule to be, the more productive I am. I have to balance between taking a break, but not a long enough one that throws me off track”. Noticing those patterns in yourself and continuing to do what works for you is the best way to succeed.
Sometimes over-preparing can be a thing, so make sure not to get too in-over your head in planning. “I’m the type of person that gets overwhelmed. I want to go to medical school, so looking at the whole process can be discouraging but I just remind myself to focus on one step at a time, which can apply to any area in life.” I try to remember that when I’m in the height of my school stress, eventually it will go away and I have always made it through everything else. Take things one day, class, or assignment at a time!
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