25 Awesome New Year Resolution Ideas For Students

With the new year quickly approaching, we all take some time to put our thinking caps on and brainstorm what we can do better, improve on, or start doing more or less of in order to better ourselves. As college students, it can be hard to set goals or resolutions and actually stick with them because of our crazy, erratic schedules. With that said, I’m not here to bore you with typical New Year’s resolutions like, “get healthy”, “sleep more”, “work harder” – but instead offer more specific resolutions that you can easily incorporate into your busy schedules and actually stick with. So listen up everyone, below are 25 awesome New Year Resolution ideas for students that we can actually stick to! Good luck and happy New Year!

1) Do one kind thing a day for someone else.

Make it a goal to put a smile on a stranger’s face each day. Whether you hold the door for that little lady trailing behind you or pick up something that someone’s whose hands are full drops…these tiny acts of kindness are enough to make someone else’s day – as trivial as they may seem to you. And if you actually look around you, these opportunities are always surrounding you.

2) Limit yourself to one cup of coffee a day (or one a week.)

No matter what your daily coffee intake is – lessen it. It may not be the worst thing for you, but it’s definitely not the best for you either, especially when you find that you’ve become reliant on it. If you usually drink 3 a day, drink 1, if you drink it a few times a week, cut down to 1 coffee, maybe on a Monday morning to start the week or on hump day to keep you going.

3) Add some daily “Me-Time” into your hectic schedule.

Set aside 10-30 minutes per day to do whatever you want, by yourself. Whether that’s taking a bath…meditating, stretching, or simply relaxing in your bed, “me-time” is so important for our mental health and stability.

4) Get a specific number of hours of sleep every night.

You’re probably slowly but surely beginning to realize how important sleep truly is. And one thing is for sure, it only becomes more important as you get older. Right now maybe you fall asleep at different times every night and wake up most mornings feeling groggy. One surefire way to wake up ready to start the day is by allotting yourself a certain amount of hours of sleep per night. That means no phone, no tablet, no computer 30 minutes before you want to fall asleep. 7-8 hours is a good range.

5) Incorporate more physical activity into your schedule each week.

Things as simple as choosing the stairs over the elevator is a simple way to accomplish this goal. if you don’t have a car, even better. Walk places you would normally Uber to. Take a walk around your campus each day just to get some fresh air. Go to the gym at least once or twice a week. The possibilities are endless here, the only one stopping you is you.

6) Set a certain amount of money to the side to save each week.

Of course, spending money is basically impossible as a college student. That’s what I’m not sitting here and telling you to stop spending money. Instead set aside a certain amount of dinero at the beginning of each week and don’t touch it! Something as little as five dollars a week really does add up.

7) Make it a goal to read a new book each month.

For leisure. I’m not talking about horrid textbooks or stupid novels you get assigned in English class. I’m talking about a book that peaks your interest. Maybe a fantasy or sci-fi book, a mystery novel or a self-help book. When you read something you enjoy it doesn’t feel like a chore (and actually improves your grammar, diction and intelligence in the long run!)

8) Change up your eating habits and make room for at least one salad a day.

Once again, I’m not yelling at you to “eat healthier!” That’s way too broad. Instead, set small goals. Eat a salad for lunch or dinner each day. Eat at least 2 whole fruits or veggies a day. Try to eat something green every day. You get the point.

9) Attend more networking events.

You know those events you always hear about on campus that you totally brush off and think are a waste of time (okay, maybe some are)..but pay more attention to the bulletin boards around you! Most of the time, there are awesome networking and social events going on around you that you had no idea about. And yes, they do pay off in the long run.

10) Limit yourself to one or two “going out” nights per week.

The great thing about college is that there’s alwaysss something going on. But that doesn’t mean you always have to involve yourself. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that FOMO is temporary and feeling healthier (which means drinking and partying less and sleeping more) feels SO much better at the end of the day. I’m not saying, “don’t go out”, I’m just saying you don’t need to pull a Thursday-Sunday bender every freakin’ weekend.

11) Spend less time on social media.

Social media is inevitable. Just don’t make it the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning, or the last thing you check before you go to sleep. Don’t scroll through your Instagram feed while you’re walking around. Take in the sights, sounds and people around you more often. It sounds lame but it’s so much better for the soul.

12) Spend more time outside.

If it’s nice out, literally go sit outside and do your schoolwork. Something about being in the open outdoors is so refreshing and relaxing, and most of us don’t get enough outdoorsy time.

13) Stick to a cleaning schedule.

I recently just started fully cleaning my apartment every Sunday and it actually makes me feel so much better going into the week. Cleanliness and organization are something not to take for granted. Pick a day each week to clean up your messy dorm or apartment. I promise, eventually, you will look forward to doing it every week.

14) Worry less about what others think!

Stop worrying about if Bobby has seen your Snapstory yet or if Alex liked your Instagram post yet. And stop giving a damn about what other people think of your personality or the way you dress. Life is too short to care – obviously this is easier said than done. Take little steps – when you recognize that you’re feeling a certain way or worrying about something that’s not worth it, take a step back, reevaluate the situation and move forward. Leave that other crap behind you and just brush it off your shoulder, even if it’s hard to do at first.

15) Get an Internship/Job.

If you have all this free time on your hands, do something productive with it. Search for an internship or apply for a job. Even if you don’t get one, the real-world practice of interviewing is always a plus.

16) Limit your screen time.

We’re all guilty of it. You go to watch one episode of Game Of Thrones and then all of a sudden you’re on Season, Episode 2. Don’t not watch television, just limit yourself to one (or two!) episodes a day.

17) Practice forgiveness more often.

Our time at college is filled with making mistakes and regrettable decisions. Don’t beat yourself up over things you’ve done and don’t hold grudges against people. Everyone makes mistakes – treat each opportunity to forgive as a valuable lesson.

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18) Start writing in a journal.

Writing in a journal has its benefits even if it sounds stupid. Do whatever you want – write about your day, vent about your feelings, complain, scribble, draw. Putting our thoughts onto paper is sometimes all we need to feel better or to move on from something.

19) Communicate with family more frequently.

Call your mom for goodness sake. She may not express that she misses you, but she does. Simply calling her, or your dad, siblings, grandparents once a week is all the need even if they’d never admit it.

20) Drink more water!

You know that feeling you have on a Saturday morning when you wake up after that wild frat party with a throbbing headache…yea it’s cause your dehydrated. Just because you’re not thirsty doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be refueling your body throughout the day. You’re stuck with that body, treat it right! Get yourself a refillable water bottle so you can be mindful of how much water you drink per day. Set a goal and crush it!

21) Floss your teeth daily.

This one sounds dumb too, but it’s not. Take it from someone who’s gotten cavities in between their teeth. Yes it’s possible and no novocaines are not fun. Save yourself the trouble..it literally takes 2 minutes.

22) Wake up 15 minutes earlier each day.

You’d be surprised at how much you can get done in 15 minutes. If you’re one of those people always running around at the last minute and late for class, put an end to it. Stressful situations like that are never fun.

23) Give up soda – completely.

Soda is the devil! Don’t just cut back on it, stop drinking it! Why are you putting chemicals into your body anyway? Who needs 65 grams of sugar in one drink you psycho. You technically shouldn’t be having more than 25 grams of added sugar per day. Why waste that x3 on one frickin’ drink? Ew.

24) Find interesting podcasts and learn more!

Podcasts are low key awesome. There’s so much good content out there that you never knew existed. Instead of listening to the same top 25 songs every day, try a podcast..they’re informational, interesting and you’re guaranteed to find something you like.

25) Try “Meatless Mondays”.

Sounds crazy, but if you’re trying to better your health for the new year, this is a great option. Try going one day a week without eating red meat or poultry. Baby steps, people, baby steps!

Which one of these New Year Resolution ideas for students are you going to try in 2019? Let us know down below!