11 Resolutions

STUDENT LIFE

11 EASY RESOLUTIONS/GOALS TO KEEP FOR 2020

ANNIKA TOMLIN • COLLEGE TIMES

We start every year by making a list of resolutions or things we want to accomplish throughout the year. Yet year after year, we set our expectations too high and fall short. This year is going to be different. It is the start of a new decade and a new way of going about our year.

Here is a list of 11 easy resolutions/goals that you can complete throughout the year.

#11 • GIVE ONE COMPLIMENT A DAY

We are surrounded by such negativity in our day-to-day lives. Giving one person a compliment doesn’t seem like a lot or something that could be life changing for another, but at the end of the day everyone appreciates a properly worded compliment. Giving a compliment puts a smile on the receiver’s face and gives you the satisfactory feeling that you might have just made that person’s day.

#10 • READ ONE BOOK EVERY TWO MONTHS

Let’s be honest, we all don’t read enough outside of textbooks for school. Find the time to read at least one book every two months. If you are a slow reader or are busy, extend the timeframe to every three or four months. Do what works with your schedule. Or set a small total of books you want to read by the end of the year. The important thing is to make the bar low so when you exceed you feel accomplished. If you’re unsure what to read, post a message on social media asking for book recommendations from your family and friends. One of them is bound to tell you about one that will pique your interest. Best of all, they might let you borrow their copy, so you don’t have to buy your own.

#9 • COOK ONE MEAL AT HOME A WEEK

As college students, we rely on fast food and quick microwaveable meals. It is important to take the time to spend time making a homecooked meal from start to finish. It gives us the time to stop thinking about school and focus on something else for a while. Plus, it gives us something delicious to eat. Try out a new recipe. Meal prep meals for the week. Cook with your significant other. Get yourself in the kitchen and don’t come out until you have made a good and edible meal.

go up from there to comfort level. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking for water, instead of a soda or tea, when you get fast food. It’s a simple change in your diet but it will make a world of a difference in the long run.

#7 • PUT YOUR PHONE ON “DO NOT DISTURB” WHILE YOU SLEEP

This might seem like a random resolution or goal, but it will help you. Think about all the long nights that you have spent scrolling on your phone when you should have been sleeping. Or the late-night phone call that definitely could have waited until the morning. Most phones have a “Do Not Disturb” feature on them. Turn it on when you go to sleep. All of the notifications that you would normally get can wait until the morning to be read or respond to. If it’s a true emergency, calls will still go through when on “Do Not Disturb.” Otherwise, get your sleep and put the phone away until the morning.

#6 • WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP It seems like one of simplest things that you already probably do. However, there is always that one day that you come home from a late night out and just say to yourself, “I’ll just wash my face in the morning.” It’s important to remove makeup or partake in any other nightly hygienerelated activities. No matter how tired you are, get up and go spend the few minutes properly getting ready for bed. It’s healthy to keep a steady routine.

#5 • GET RID OF YOUR OLD THINGS

There is no reason to keep unused items in your closet. There are so many resale stores around the Valley that will take your gently worn and in trend clothes that are laying in the back of the closet and give you cash or store credit in return. Wouldn’t you love extra money on the side for the stuff that you don’t need anymore? Facebook Marketplace or Offer Up are also great for getting rid of all the other junk you have left in your closet. If all else fails, donate the remaining stuff to a noteworthy organization of your choice.

#4 • DELETE TOXIC PEOPLE OFF SOCIAL MEDIA

You don’t need Negative Nellies in your life. This is 2020 and we are starting it off on a positive note. Delete any and all people who did you wrong this past year. You don’t need them in your life. If they do not know what’s best for you, they are not worth your time. Also don’t be afraid to

#3 • PUT YOUR CLOTHES AWAY OUT OF THE DRYER This is another resolution that seems so simple. We all have that special chair or place on the bed where clean clothes go. This year is the time to change that bad habit. Start by moving that darn chair so you don’t have an excuse of not putting your clothes away. If you have time to wash and dry the clothes, you have time to put them away. It’s a simple thing to do that will save you so much clutter in your room. It might help you to bring the hangers and put them next to the dryer, so when you take out the clothes you put them directly onto the hangers right off the bat.

#2 • WORKOUT FOR 10 MINUTES A DAY

Set yourself up for success. Everyone can squeeze in 10 minutes to work out. You can do 10 minutes of working out just about anywhere. If you are at work, walk the stairs in the building or take a 10-minute walk around the parking lot. If you are at school, you’ll most likely get your fix of walking or biking around campus to get from class to class. If you are at home, try out a fitness routine that lasts for 10 minutes, whether it is cardio, yoga or strength training. Again, like drinking a daily amount of water, start small and build up your work out time.

#1 • SCHEDULE 20 MINUTES OF “ME TIME”

As college students you are constantly moving from place to place. Don’t forget to take at least 20 minutes out of your day to have “me time.” You could read a book before bed. Do some yoga in the morning. Listen to your favorite songs while you take a bath. Write in a gratitude journal. Whatever it is, make sure you are alone and, by the end of it, you’ll feel refreshed. CT