You’ve seen it all over your social platforms – this new year is a big deal. It’s the end of the 2010s, the end of our childhoods!
If you’re a believer in the fresh start that a new year can provide, the start of a new decade is the best possible time to create some new beginnings for yourself.
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Change can happen at any time, of course, so there is no pressure to do anything differently just because it’s a new year. However, if you’ve been meaning to make a change or better yourself, there’s no better time than now!
Here’s our ultimate guide to new year’s resolutions for students, with our best tips for making 2024 your best year yet.
Table of Contents
1. Make a Vision Board
We’ve talked about vision boards before and how they are a great tool for manifestation and inspiration. The beauty of a mood board or vision board is that there aren’t any rules – yours can be as small or large as you’d like, with as few or as many photos as you feel you relate to.
Whether you choose to make a physical board or a digital one, your creation should represent your goals and dreams for the new year. Find photos that make you feel inspired and relate to your goals, whether academic or otherwise, and combine them in a collage.
If it’s digital, make the board your phone or laptop background. For a physical board, find a spot in your bedroom that you always see.
The point is to have the board in sight often, to remind you of your goals and keep you inspired!
2. Create Realistic & Specific Resolutions
The main problem people have with new year’s resolutions is that they’re often not realistic, and/or they’re way too vague. This results in people setting goals and then forgetting about them or straight up giving up on them.
For example, a resolution to work out every day is admirable, but only realistic if you already work out fairly often. Similarly, a new years resolution for students like “studying 5 hours a week” only works if you’re already studying on a scheduled, regular basis.
Instead, set goals that you can hold yourself accountable to, like preparing a healthy meal three times a week, or spending an extra 30 minutes a week studying class material, and working your way up from there. This will ensure that you don’t feel overwhelmed by your goals and ultimately give up on them.
This also works for things like saving money, another common new years resolution for students – it’s much easier to hold yourself accountable for saving $50 a week than it is to make “saving money” an arbitrary idea. Small changes are only small at the beginning; if you keep at it, you’ll see the changes amount over time.
3. Simplify Your Surroundings
For some, this might mean giving your room or apartment a deep clean, Marie Kondo-style. Getting rid of things that no longer make you feel happy or serve you can feel so freeing and can help you clear your mind and focus on what is important to you.
However, don’t feel compelled to become a minimalist if that doesn’t sound like you. (This is another new year’s resolution for students that we see all the time — it’s admirable but it’s too extreme!)
Simplifying your surroundings doesn’t have to be all or nothing – sometimes it can just mean tackling the basic tasks that you’ve been avoiding. Schedule the appointments that you’ve been putting off, take your driving test, sell those clothes online, do all the menial tasks that have been sitting on your plate. Not only will they be out of your way, but you’ll feel more productive for doing them.
4. Set an Emotional or Mental Goal
Changes don’t have to be external to be remarkable!
Taking care of your mental and emotional health is so important and should be prioritized.
Perhaps you want to work on communicating more effectively or learn to better deal with stress. Whether you choose to meditate, practice self-care or even attend counseling, this goal should ultimately bring you peace. It’s also important to note that this goal doesn’t have to be rooted in action, but rather reflection!
5. Check In with Yourself
This is where setting small goals can really pay off!
Set aside time within the year to reflect on your vision board and your resolutions. It’s so important to celebrate your wins, no matter how small they are. Consider areas where you didn’t meet your goals and tweak them so that they seem more achievable.
This check in with yourself will motivate you to keep going, striving, and thriving this year!
What do you think of our guide to new year’s resolutions for students?
What are your resolutions for the new year? Do you have any other tips for setting goals? Let’s share inspiration below!
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Nice guide. Also, failure to actualize the resolutions doesn’t mean one shouldn’t try again.