It’s important to prioritize not just school work, but your mental health, physical health and social life. As this semester starts, what resolutions will you make? Photo by energepic.com from Pexels
Who doesn’t love the idea of a fresh start? The beginning of a new year, the start of a new week, even the sunrise of a new day are all moments that indicate a clean slate. I am a sucker for “fresh beginnings” and often find myself setting goals for the following months (most of which I have difficulty maintaining). Despite sticking to them or not, the importance of setting resolutions is the actual thought process and determination of the goals, and then of course trying your best to follow through. The beginning of the school year is prime time for creating a list of resolutions that will ensure the best year yet. The four categories are: Mental health, physical health, education and social life.
College can quickly become the most stressful four years of someone’s life, in turn making what should be an amazing experience a negative one. If one pays close attention to their mental health (and no I don’t mean getting an A on every exam) they will quickly realize how important l it is. The hustle and bustle can make it easy to forget that self-care is essential, but if you implement it into your weekly routine it will soon become habitual. For example, once a week take a bath to unplug for three hours or watch the sunset with a close friend. I was addicted to Price Chopper sushi and made sure to satisfy my craving every Monday. While it was only 15 minutes of my day, I was able to start the week on a good note and continually have something to look forward to. Including several self-care resolutions will tremendously help you push through the overwhelming times and will guarantee a much more positive semester.
Physical health is just as important as mental health. I am the first to admit that I was not a frequent flyer at the gym my freshman year, but the new and improved Rec Center is everyone’s perfect excuse to workout even once a week. With a total of four floors, it offers everything from weight training to swimming to even rock climbing. If going to the gym is not your cup of tea, a simple walk around campus to admire its beauty or a quick run up Horsebarn Hill will do the trick. After sitting in class or in the library for countless hours, it is important to continue to move our bodies to release energy and endorphins.
Arguably the most important category is education. Most of us are at UConn to complete a higher education degree, making it important to place education at the top of our priority list.When I set academic resolutions, I find myself far more motivated and willing to perform at my highest potential. This can be something as simple as setting a GPA that you wish to accomplish for the semester. By knowing what grade point average you want to have, then you will be able to subconsciously make the necessary changes and efforts to achieve that specific number. Smaller academic resolutions could be assigning a specific amount of time that will be allotted for studying each day or establishing a desired grade for an assignment before even beginning it.
I am a strong advocate for balance in all areas of life. While of course school’s primary purpose is to provide new information about a variety of topics, it would be absurd to not mention the social aspect of college. One method to expand your social circle is joining clubs. UConn offers a plethora of different clubs that are always searching for new members. By joining an organization you will be able to meet tons of people that share the same interests as you do. If you are over 21 years old, social time could involve going to get a drink with friends or watching a game at a local bar. If what you choose makes you happy and it’s something you enjoy then you’re successfully using your free time.
The beauty of resolutions is that they’re individual, custom and ongoing. Start your school year off right by pushing yourself to be the best version of you that you can be.
Jordana Castelli is a campus correspondent for The Daily Campus. She can be reached via email at jordana.castelli@uconn.edu.
