EAT WELL

To start this year right, you should start eating better.

Since the holidays are gone, devote some time this month to eating a healthy, balanced diet. This will benefit both your physical and emotional health. Why not give veganuary, an annual challenge to eat only plant-based foods for the entire month of January, a try? Less meat consumption is good for the environment, your health, and even your wallet. If you don’t feel like taking the challenge, consider improving your diet by experimenting with new dishes you’ve been wanting to try and consuming more fruits and vegetables. While the occasional treat is acceptable, consuming too much junk food can be detrimental to our health. Even better, involve your roommates and practice preparing new dishes together. After all, you’ll be more likely to maintain your healthy eating routine if your pals are doing the same.

LESS DRINKING

There are numerous habits that people strive to embrace in the New Year to better themselves and their lifestyles, but as a student, cutting back on alcohol intake is one that is crucial to try this year. Try Dry January, a 31-day challenge that encourages people to abstain from alcohol and take a break from drinking. It may enhance your mood, your ability to focus, your level of productivity, and your sleep cycle, among other things. Also, you’ll be able to concentrate on studying and suffer from fewer hangovers, which may be the key to doing more work. You might have had more alcohol than normal over the holidays, so why not give your body and mind a complete reset by abstaining from alcohol for an entire month? The savings from not using your entire student loan to buy drinks at the bar makes this practice a win-win. This year, if you see progress and complete the challenge successfully, you might improve your relationship with alcohol and permanently cut back on your use!

SEE MORE

You likely read every day as a student, whether it’s to consume material on your phone, read news stories, or read books in the library as you pursue your degree. On the other hand, when was the last time you read a book just because you wanted to and not because it was required reading for university?

Spend some time looking for an excellent book or book series to start the year off well. If you have trouble immersing yourself in a book, try reading a little bit every day to make it seem more manageable and enjoyable.

MONEY SAVING

One habit you may establish now that Christmas has passed is saving money. It’s an excellent practice to establish for the coming year, especially if you had trouble paying off your student loan at the end of the semester. With the present cost of living problem, it can be more difficult said than done but make saving money a priority by creating attainable goals. To motivate yourself to save money, consider your goals first. Whether you want to put money aside to attend more festivals this year, travel more, or have more money to spend on visits to friends and family, visualize your goals.

PLEDGE YOUR TIME

Volunteering is an enjoyable and satisfying way to give back to your community, and it may look fantastic on your resume while you’re in school. Volunteer your time by looking for opportunities in your neighborhood or on your university’s website if you want to build new habits for 2023.

Also, volunteering is a fantastic way to make new friends and enjoy experiences you otherwise wouldn’t have. We’re not suggesting that you give up all of your leisure time, but even a few hours a week can make a huge difference!

CONTACT NEW PEOPLE

You should make it a practice to chat with new individuals now that the first few months of the academic year are done and we’re in a new term.

If you didn’t venture outside your comfort zone as often last year and don’t have a large social circle, develop the habit of approaching people, even when it seems intimidating. Try to seek out and start discussions with others, whether it be on campus, in your dorm, in groups or clubs, or by choosing to converse with a stranger every day. By extending your social network, you might perhaps meet some new best friends who are passionate about the same things as you.

GET PHYSICAL

How well do you feel about the following exercise? There are numerous advantages for both your physical and emotional health, so make sure you develop a daily exercise routine, even if it is only for 30 minutes. Make a strategy for 2023 that you can follow if you have trouble finding the time or energy to include regular exercise in your daily schedule. Decide if you’ll exercise before or after class or at home. You should also decide whether you’ll exercise in a gym or at home. If you have the plan to follow, you’ll be more inclined to continue working out. If your acquaintance also wants to be more physically active this year, you may even invite them to join you.

PURPOSE TO BE ORGANIZED

Even with the best of intentions, you might have discovered that last year you had trouble staying organized, whether it was postponing deadlines, waiting until the last minute to purchase for Christmas, or skipping cleaning your dorm. Start by identifying the areas of your life where you want to be more organized and considering what it is you want to achieve if you spent the previous term putting off things you needed to do and letting things get on top of you. Create a strategy to follow after you’ve done this to help you remain on track and make your duties appear more achievable.

Practice being mindful.

As corny as it may sound, mindfulness practice is crucial. You might have blinked and another year is almost starting; we know we have. It can be so simple to speed through life and forget to be present at the moment.

Try to spend more time being mindful of your life and to be nonjudgmental in your awareness of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings. Make it a habit to practice mindfulness every day by blocking out time to pay attention to your breathing, and senses, and being present. Some strategies for increasing mindfulness include daily meditation and long walks.

Being aware can significantly increase our wellness and help us appreciate everything around us.

CELEBRATE SMALL SUCCESSES

It might be challenging to maintain new habits, so don’t be discouraged if you fall behind with any of the resolutions you made for the year; progress requires patience and commitment. If you succeed in forming new habits, remember to rejoice in your minor victories—even though they might not seem significant, they are!You’re making great adjustments to create better habits in your life, and that’s amazing. Examples include cutting back on your alcohol consumption for a few weeks, eating less red meat, being more aware, and the list goes on. Little victories can help you feel accomplished and confident in yourself, which can help you stay motivated and on track.