By Jack McGee

New Year’s Resolutions: Time to Change Tactics

Ruth Delaney Arts & Lifestyle Correspondent

Ithink we’re all guilty of throwing around the phrase ‘New Year, New Me.’ That is until January fades away, alongside our proposed lifestyle changes that we swear will be different this year. A diet, a new rigorous exercise routine or giving up the gargle, the list goes on. However, who said New Year's Resolutions had to be so extreme? Here, we have put together a few examples of how small changes can improve not only the start of a new college semester, but your day to day lifestyle too.

Step Up Your Commute

Getting your step count up is a simple yet super effective way to up your daily fitness and movement. So many students spend hours of our week on buses, trains and in cars coming to and from college and work, therefore we are often too busy or simply too tired to get decent exercise. One way to incorporate more movement into your routine is to make your commute more step friendly. If you can - get off the bus or train one or two stops early and walk the rest of the journey. By taking 10-20 minutes to do this, you can get some extra steps in and a breath of fresh air.

Careful on the Caffeine

There are very few students who are not used to some level of caffeine intake daily, which intensifies as deadlines loom later on. Caffeine is fine in moderation, but large amounts can have all sorts of effects on your body and mind, especially when it comes to switching off and catching up on some well needed sleep. To reset the body clock and make the most of your zen time, you could consider decreasing your caffeine intake. A small change could include not drinking coffee or energy drinks after 4pm, or sipping on a cup of herbal tea when you feel the withdrawals kick in. Not only will you sleep better, but your bank account will thank you for reconsidering that €5 frappuccino.

Save the Pennies

You never know when you might need to urgently dip into your savings, be it for fees, food or to spend time with friends on a rainy day. Budgeting is something that lots of people struggle with, but by setting aside a fiver or tenner every time you get paid will add up nicely in the long run. If you’re a Revolut user, switch on your loose change option, which will round up your transactions to the nearest euro and store it in a vault at your disposal.

Two Birds with One Stone

In university, we often neglect the important people in our lives when the workload becomes a little too intense. Laughter is the best medicine and so to cure the January blues, consider setting aside an hour a week to spend time with a family member or friend who you might not be seeing enough of. The ones close to you likely have the same good intentions of sticking to their New Year’s resolutions, so why not tackle one together? You could do this by committing to a walk once a week or make a bucket list of things you’d like to do over the next few months. Not only will you feel a sense of accomplishment, but you’ll be spending well needed quality time with someone you love.

BEER YE, BEER YE: A Guide to Cheap, Independent, Irish Alcohols

Jack Mc Gee Head of Investigations

With the introduction of minimum unit pricing, many student drink staples have become more expensive than they’re worth. However, a twisted upside is that high-quality, locally sourced options are now approximately as expensive as their cruddier counterparts. So, if we’re going to get squeezed for every cent, why not make sure that money doesn’t just go into the pockets of a soulless multinational like Diageo?

I implore you to make the best of a bad situation, and ethically imbibe with these tasty Irish options, all vaguely within the budget of a college student. reading this to try out something new, the best place to start is O’Shea’s Pale New Dawn, a super-approachable pale ale. It’s brewed in Ireland, and priced at just €1.89 for a 500ml bottle. All of Aldi’s O’Shea’s options are under €4 a litre, making them likely the most affordable and attainable craft option widely available. If you’re only reading this to learn how to get absolutely faded (good for you, king, you’ve earned it), try a Brown Bear Double IPA, brewed by Pearse Lyons in Dundalk. You may baulk at the higher price (500ml for €2.96), but remember, it’s about quality, not quantity. The higher APV will absolutely get you where you want to go in just a few bottles. This makes it a great pre-drinks option, as long as the flavour is up your alley.

LIDL

up bargains on options that would often go for a few euro more in other off-licences. My favourite option I found was Porterhouse’s Rambler Pale Ale, which you could get a healthily sized can of for €2.79. This sweet, approachable option is brewed by Porterhouse, a well-established Dublin craft brewery. For the same price, you can grab a can from BRÚ, a Meath-based independent brewery. They have a couple of fun, funky options, and their Session IPA is a good introduction to the variety.

Grizzly Hard Seltzer

Outside of the beer market, it’s hard to scare up locally owned and operated brands, especially those within our price range. My favourite option I’ve found so far is Grizzly Hard Seltzer. While I haven’t seen it too often in stores, ordering online gets you 24 cans for €12, making it a great bulk budget option for parties. They’re super-responsive on social media, so you can always try messaging them for other order sizes and discounts. NOTE: The College Tribune is not sponsored by any of the above brands. Jack just likes beer.