As 2024 begins, many students find themselves setting New Year’s resolutions. Although people might have different resolutions, there are a few especially popular ones.
Commit to a Healthier Sleeping Schedule
Out of the diverse range of resolutions, this one remains the most popular among students.
“I am hoping that in 2024 I can set a regular bedtime and wake-up time that allows for eight hours of sleep,” junior Christie Xu said.
Prioritizing sleep for students might be difficult when burdened with schoolwork, but it is essential to keeping a healthy lifestyle. Changes can take small steps, such as avoiding caffeine and electronics right before bedtime or creating a cozy atmosphere with candles and dim lights. Whatever it is that helps remind you to go to bed, commit to the schedule and strive to maintain it as long as possible.
Keep a Journal
Whether it’s for daily reflections or keeping track of your duties, having a journal helps improve mental and physical wellness by giving you a safe place to express your thoughts. For the new year, consider purchasing a journal to organize your stream of thoughts and commit to long-term journaling. To make the experience more entertaining, you can also put your spin on it, such as making it into a scrapbook.
Read More Books
Many students were once avid readers but have since stopped reading due to a lack of time. For 2024, consider squeezing out that extra 20 minutes of your screen time and pick up a book or two. Asking friends or local librarians for recommendations is a good way to start the commitment. It is often a good idea to begin with shorter novels and avoid epics so you don’t get into a reading slump.
Exercise Regularly
Equally as important as sleep, frequent and balanced exercise is a must to maintain a healthy body and mind. It reduces stress and helps to keep you fresh and awake for the day. Since exercising may not be the most fun thing to do in one’s free time, it is a good idea to implement strategies that can hype you up for the activity. This can be listening to your favorite music or rewarding yourself after the exercise. Having a system that keeps track of your daily exercise may also be beneficial as you can reflect on your perseverance and feel good about yourself. It is also important to find an exercise that suits you and your goals, such as how junior Asha Highsmith puts it.
“One of my resolutions this new year is to start lifting more in the off-season and summer to prepare for the basketball season next year and get stronger overall,” Highsmith said.
Let Go of Grudges
As we enter a brand new year, we are given a fresh start to move forward. Even though acknowledging the past and accepting your emotions is important, learning to forget and forgive the negativity is a crucial step to starting the new year strong. One must realize that it is impossible to backtrack and make up for something that has already happened, but there is always an opportunity to prevent it from happening in the future.
These resolutions are meant to shape your lifestyle little by little, so don’t be discouraged if one resolution is not met, or if another is not working out. It is important to recognize that changes take time. Keeping these things in mind, here’s to a successful and fulfilling year ahead!
