The New Year is seen as a time for resetting, resting and recharging. The transition into a new period also signifies an ideal time for college students to practice healthy and productive habits to succeed in everyday life. Here are some of the best tips I have practiced since being a college student.
Goal setting with a friend
As a student, I enjoy writing down every goal I have for the upcoming year. This can fall into three separate categories: personal, financial and work goals. I find that by differentiating each section of my life it is less overwhelming to look at. I like to keep a dotted-grid journal to write down goals when I am in school, while at home I find using the notes app to be quick, easy and accessible. The goals can be as elaborate or simple as you want, from organizing your closet to saving money for a big trip.
Wherever you may choose to write your goals down, this is a great reminder you can look back on when you are feeling discouraged and need motivation. If you are focused on sticking to these goals it could also be fun to set goals with a friend so you can keep each other accountable.
Utilizing your planners, notebooks, whiteboards, etc.
Oftentimes, I get easily stressed just by looking at the plethora of syllabi professors hand out during the first week of classes. I would try to fit every personal and academic plan or exam in one planner and things got messy and disorganized quickly. The solution I found to this problem was assigning specific activities and assignments to separate planners. Tracking my homework assignments in a physical planner has helped me keep my schoolwork separate from my personal life. The rest of my plans remain in my online calendar on Outlook. Other calendars such as ones built into your phone are also a great way to setparate boundaries.
Feeding the soul
It is often easy to forget that while life can sometimes get busy with school, friends, family and extracurriculars, it is just as important to prioritize time for yourself. To feel energized enough to start the year off in new classes as well as a new schedule, it is helpful to carve out time to do the hobbies that bring you joy. This can start anywhere from FaceTiming hometown friends and family, working out, journaling, reading, watching movies or trying a new hobby.
The pressure to completely change and transform yourself into a new or improved version is often daunting in the new year but I value the reminder to give myself grace and time.
Prioritizing
As a college student, I have had to teach myself that not everything can be completed in one sitting. This was a difficult lesson for me to learn as I have always been someone who likes to finish what they start right away. The idea of “juggling” has helped me remember that as a student, we are not all able to get a day’s work done in a single sitting. I allow myself to sit down and write everything I must complete in order of importance or due date.
I try to start with the assignments that I know are almost due and work my way down the list. It is helpful to schedule times of your day when you know you can sit down and work on an essay or project for even just 10 minutes. Projects and essays can easily get tossed to the side until it is almost the due date. Scheduling short increments of time to get a head start on these projects will make the work more digestible.
Budgeting
College students are faced with consistent expenses whether that be textbooks, food or personal needs. I always try to make a budget plan for myself as spending money becomes more of a habit when I am back on campus.
You can download free apps that will assist you in tracking your daily spending. Sometimes I even like to give myself a set limit of how much I can spend weekly. Budgeting is a life skill that will always serve you well past college too, so it is helpful to start now. If you are also looking for ways to make money as a student, one place I started was selling my clothes on Depop, an online thrift store. This can be an ideal way to de-clutter your closet for the new year while also making some side cash.
This story was written by Mimi Sinotte. She can be reached at [email protected].
