Rise and shine, a new era has come!
Last year was quite a roller coaster. As pandemic restrictions were gradually lifted and major events were back with spectators, conflicts erupted in some parts of the world. Effects of the climate crisis began to be felt even stronger, while the global economy has only started to recover Despite all the uncertainties we ’ re facing, we welcomed this year with hopes, dreams, and wishes
We're also excited to announce that in this 30th edition, GLIDES is back with a whole new editorial team, as well as two new writers! We believe that this addition will bring fresh perspectives to our publication.
The theme of this edition is all about plans and possibilities As students, we all have dreams and aspirations for the future But everything starts with baby steps We need to design our path and set goals, without forgetting to care about ourselves and our relationships with other people. And most importantly, we need to enjoy the journey. Making the most of what we already have while striving for a better future.
Hopefully, we ’ re all ready to take on whatever this new year throws our way
Jawad Yuwono Editor in Chief
by Clarissa Tirta Arief (Aris)
How was life for you the past year? Great? Good? Could’ve been better? Terrible? Whichever it was, good for you or sorry that happened
Time flies, huh? It’s already 2023. Every year, chances are that you repeat this phrase to yourself: “New year, new me.” You write down your New Year’s resolutions, determined to fulfill those goals that you’ve noted down on a stray piece of paper, or maybe a decorative journal And then you’ll find that you’ve forgotten about them by February Rinse and repeat
Here’s a simple question How do you plan on spending your 2023? You obviously want it to go well, right? Maybe you want to get into a new hobby, learn a new skill, or improve your scores. But you might also be wondering about how you’ll get there After all, things are easier said than done Or are they? Here are a couple of things you can do to maximize your new year!
We’ll start with the basics. As I’ve mentioned, most of us write resolutions for ourselves when we enter the new year However, you should remember that setting a goal isn’t the only thing you should be focusing on When crafting your 2023 goals list, you should also think about what you ’ re going to do to reach that goal. For example, let’s say you want to learn a new language this year In that case, what you’ll need to do is to first learn its script if it’s different from your mother tongue and then afterwards you can learn its grammar and vocabulary Finally, you’ll have to practice using the language
To ensure you actually do all this, you can set a timed goal. For example: one month to learn its script, two months to learn the grammar and all the rest in the remaining nine months By doing this, you can feel the satisfaction of reaching a milestone, which can motivate you to reach your goal. Way more effective than writing down a forgettable goal in your journal, no?
Taking care of yourself is an essential part of living. Above all, you need to take care of yourself before you take care of others Your happiness also affects how you view and enjoy life. Self-care comes in many forms: self-love, prioritizing yourself, and setting boundaries are just a few of them Actions as small as trying out healthier lifestyle habits to bigger things such as learning how to stand up for yourself both count as self-care
You can start by incorporating small habits into your daily routine For instance, fixing your sleep schedule. Start by setting your bedtime up to twenty minutes earlier and slowly setting it back until you start sleeping at a normal time and not 2 a m
Along with that, you may also start waking up earlier Step by step, a few minutes at a time. Getting a better sleep schedule will increase your sleep quality, which has loads of benefits From better skin to increased concentration and productivity Other self-care habits like eating more greens or a fixed skincare routine can give you physical benefits and boost your mental health. With a healthy mind, life becomes just that bit brighter.
Our last point is managing your relationships. By relationships, I don’t just mean romantic ones I mean those with your family, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and whoever you have in your life. Humans are social creatures, so it’s natural that we need and have other people in our lives Unfortunately, starting and maintaining a relationship isn’t easy. The more people you have in your life, the harder it'll be to manage them Heck, even prolonging a few relationships can be difficult However, if not maintained correctly, relationships can strain and stress you out
It’s important to keep track of the people you ’ re around Choosing companions might sound conceited, but it’s important to make sure you ’ re around the right people. Your environment can either make or break you. One important thing to do when managing relationships is to cut out toxicity
You don’t have to completely break off your relationship immediately; you can go at your own pace Start by slowly distancing yourself from them If it’s a friend, you can mute their social media posts and avoid hanging out with them too much. If it’s a family member, start engaging with them less and drawing lines Yes, they’re family, but you should still have boundaries as to what behavior is acceptable. It’ll be hard to imagine your life without them, especially if they’re a close friend or family, which is why it’s important to gradually detach yourself Over time, you’ll eventually realize that even if they’re not there, your life will still go on
Be it a friend, a family member, or maybe your significant other, it’s no good to keep toxic people around you Toxicity is contagious Whether you realize it or not, you might end up negatively affected by the destructive people around you So, even if it’s hard, you should cut out the harmful people from your life
Besides getting away from toxicity, it’s also important to recognize the people who really matter You can have a lot of friends, but you should never forget those who are always there for you, unconditionally. Make sure they know how much they matter to you by putting effort into your relationship Spend quality time with them, give gifts and lend a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on when they need it Make them feel loved People who you love and who love you tend to bring out the best versions of you. So, hold on to them.
That concludes our list of how to optimize your new year! Obviously taking these steps won’t magically make this year better than the last, but it’s worth trying to optimize the things that are in our control. Your life is yours, and what you ’ re going to do with it is your choice So, how will you enhance your 2023?
Hard to believe another year has come New year means new things to look forward to; beginnings, endings, and everything else in between. You’re ready to toss out things of the past and welcome the new
Ever heard of the phrase “saving the best for last”? If not, have you ever eaten a newly made toast and left out your favorite parts so you can eat them last. So that the taste lingers?
Turns out, the phrase doesn’t just apply to food. Say, one day, you find yourself walking by the collections of things you possess; perfumes, books, pieces of clothes you almost never wear anymore. Some of them are still intact and fit for use, others not so much
You then realize how valuable these things are. You’ve lost yourself in the worries of the world and forgotten the present In the process of saving these items for later use or a better day, you ’ ve waited for things that never came, or you ’ ve waited but they only came once in a blue moon
Ever feared that you’ll run out of something if you keep using it? Have you ever preserved something for last? For a special occasion that may or may not ever arrive?
That pile of sachets of your favorite coffee you ’ ve been wanting to drink but haven’t got to because you ’ re waiting for someone ' s presence to accompany you in consuming them? They are now just sitting on that shelf in the kitchen, craving for a hand to reach out to them Idle as a statue
Those favorite makeup products of yours have gone months untouched since you last used them, most nearing their expiry dates
And how long will those new books you’d once bought sit in the same place, gathering dust? Until you ’ ve found that surge of desire to read?.
There’s a limit to something, that much is never wrong. However, if you keep depriving yourself of joy, even for an inanimate object, you won’t have lived enough. And as humans, if you don’t already notice, we don’t have a lot of time on this planet.
Some things are meant to run out because they’re meant to be used. Time itself is a prime example That money in your bank account isn’t going to spend itself. Those coffee sachets aren’t gonna drink themselves And those books aren’t going to read themselves
They’re not decorations or displays, don’t leave them to sit somewhere to dust Otherwise why did you even bother to possess them if they’re just going to end up that way?
It matters not how you make use of something, as opposed to cherishing it and making worthwhile memories with it Once you do, you’ll find yourself falling back in love with the present, instead of finding yourself in a constant state of “what if”s.
It matters not how you make use of something, as opposed to cherishing it and making worthwhile memories with it Once you do, you’ll find yourself falling back in love with the present, instead of finding yourself in a constant state of “what if”s
So stop saving the best for last, don’t limit yourself from opportunities. Consume and indulge yourself in the things you want before it’s too late. Before regret hits you in the face
In favor of the new year, baby steps can be taken to start a transformation in your life Perhaps this time, you can begin doing so, even if for a little while.
I know it’s easier said than done, but there’s no harm in seizing the moment For when you look back and reminisce about how you used to spend your days, you can remember them fondly and smile.
Every new year, we ’ re often determined to come up with great plans, daring goals, and daunting resolutions Yet sometimes we feel as if we ’ re underachieving when we couldn’t fulfill them all by the end of the year Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being ambitious in what you want to attain in the span of a year But 365 days is quite a long period of time, which can be filled by doing lots of little things Things that don’t have to be too difficult, expensive, or complicated to pull off
So here it is, a set of “side quests” cards to spice up your 2023 journey! I’ve divided the cards into three categories indicated by their colors:
Green, when you ’ re feeling adventurous and want to try something new;
Blue, when you ’ re feeling kind and want to spread wholesomeness; and
Green Blue Red
Red, when you ’ re feeling productive and want to channel your creative energy
Try a haircut that you ’ ve never had before If you ’ re unsure whether you have had a certain haircut before, or you ’ ve somehow tried every haircut in existence, get a haircut that you ’ ve not done in at least the last 12 months
Whenever you feel bored or don’t know what to do in your spare time, just choose one of the cards and follow the instructions Or you can shuffle them up to pick randomly However, there are some cards that recommend the prior completion of other cards There are also blank cards for you to come up with your very own quests Keep track of your achievements by marking a card every time you complete it. You’re absolutely encouraged to redo the quest as many as you’d like to. At the end of the year, do a review of your achievements. You might be surprised with just how many things you’ll have done by then
List 5 pairs of nouns and adjectives (you may use a random word pair generator) Write a short poem containing at least 3 of the pairs and post it on your social media account
Order a take-out of your favorite menu item from two different places, one of which should be a place that you ’ ve never tried from. The menu item ordered in both places should be similar enough to warrant a fair comparison Take a blind taste test to decide which one you like the most
Be a voluntary tour guide for at least 1 person and travel around a city/town/neighborhood You may use the TRAVEL GUIDE that you ’ ve made to orient the tour The tour doesn’t have to be exhaustive and cover all the points of interest; just have some fun strolling around!
Make a DIY craft using items you can find in your room and/or reusable waste (whether from your own household or from the CLEANUP WALK)
Summarize a topic of your choice (it can be the same as the one from DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE), then make a mini encyclopedic book (whether physical or digital) about it Complement the text with supporting illustrations and other media you may create them by yourself or use freelicensed ones from the internet
Write about at least 3 good things that happened to you recently It doesn’t have to be something lifechanging; when you think about it, you can find positive energy even in small things!
Use the random page button on Wikipedia to look for a topic that you know almost nothing about. While reading your page of choice, click right on every hyperlinked word that you don’t recognize, open them in new tabs, and read those pages as well
Walk around your neighborhood for at least 2 hours while collecting any littered garbage you can find Sort, wash, and send the recyclables to your local waste bank (if there’s any), or repurpose them for your own benefit.
Create a short film documenting an important aspect or phase of your life It can be about family, life goals, growing up, or even as simple as a recording of your daily routine
List every stuff of yours that has not been utilized in the last 3 months or longer Decide whether you would still need each of them by the next month Donate everything you don’t need
Visit a new place at least 5 km away from where you are staying You may walk, bike, drive, or take public transportation to get there Choose a different route and/or mode of transportation on your way back.
Breath a new life to your old, boring, plain shirt/dress by tie-dyeing it Look up for tiedye patterns and color schemes online, and choose the one that would fit you the most.
Make a list of five random movies you ’ ve never watched before. Wait for at least a day, then try to recreate that list by memory, and compare it to the original list Watch whichever titles that you did not manage to remember correctly If you did remember them all, watch the title that comes last in your recreated list
Be kind to yourself! Treat yourself to dinner Buy the pair of shoes that has long been sitting on your wishlist Take a break and go on a trip Anything! You deserve everything for surviving this far :)
Cook a meal for at least 5 people It doesn’t have to be served at once; you may portion the meal in boxes and share them individually to each of the recipients
Make a travel guide leaflet for a city/town/neighborhood. The leaflet should at least contain a map, places of interest and their significance, transportation options, and emergency contacts Use pictures of your own or freelicensed ones from the internet to complement the guide
Do an overhaul of your room by replacing and/or rearranging furniture and other stuff. You may as well put your DIY CRAFT items as decoration
