By Margaret Pepe
Assistant Copy Editor
Just about everyone makes a New Years resolution. Maybe you want to get better at running so you can run a half-marathon, or you want to be neater so you can actually see the floor of your room. No matter what your resolution for 2016 is, it is practically inevitable that you will break it. Actually, I can promise at some point you will break it, and that some point was probably Jan. 3.
For those who have not yet broken their New Years resolution, and are trying their best to stick to it, here are some tips:
Use an agenda/planner
“Make a chart with a hand written check list, and physically check off each accomplishment,” suggested Ariana Franz, a freshman music education major.
Having your daily schedule written out will help you stay on track of what you need to do. If your resolution was eating healthier, staying organized, running, etc. you can write down your daily goal. You’re more likely to stick to your resolution if you have it written down for everyday. You write your homework and assignments down to make sure you complete them everyday, so why not write down to go running, or something healthy to eat everyday?
Download tracking apps
There is an app for everything. If you’re a shopaholic and want to cut down on your spending you can download apps that monitor how much you spend. Apps like Mint, available for iPhone and Android users, helps manage your spending, saving, budgeting, and earning. By connecting your bank account to the app you can track how much money you can spend, and divide it up into budgets like clothes, groceries, and restaurants.
If you’re training to be on American Ninja Warrior, you can download any of the Nike Training apps. These apps monitor how much you move throughout the day, how far and how fast you ran, and suggest workouts that you can do at home or at the gym. Under Armor also has an app to track what you eat, in terms of vitamins and nutrients you need to meet daily, called myFitnessPal.
Using one of these available apps makes you more conscious of what you spend, what you eat, and what you do to stay healthy.
If you’re new to the health game, worry not. Physicians suggest at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday. Head over to Pratt and either get your fitness on by yourself, with a trainer, or take one of the fitness classes offered. Classes offered range from yoga, to kickboxing; schedules can be found in the Pratt Recreation Center.
Maybe skip going out?
At the beginning of the semester, almost everyone has the goal of getting an A in all of their classes. Sometimes it happens, and sometimes, for the fifth semester in a row you find yourself saying, “C’s get degrees.” We all know you’re smart enough to get that A, but we also see you checking into a different bar on Facebook every week. Maybe skip the bar every now and then. Going out is fun, and during college is probably the best time to go out, but don’t give up on those A’s. “Fear of missing out” (FOMO) is real, but so is that 15-page paper due next Tuesday that you haven’t started yet.
Say no
As if it is your job. Saying “no” is frequently in the top ten resolutions people make each year. If you’re too busy, too stressed, or really just can’t bring yourself to do something optional, say “no.” You don’t want to let people down, but if you don’t have the time to babysit for six hours, work an extra shift, write four papers, go grocery shopping for your mom, and drive your friend to the optometrist, just say “I’m sorry, I really just don’t have the time.” It’s an easy way to say no without offending anyone.
Get your friends involved
“Tell your friends about your goal! They are essentially your moral support group,” said Franz. Having a support system to keep you on track will turn your resolution from a chore to a fun activity you can do together.
Say yes
Sometimes what can hold us back from being spontaneous or having fun is fear. “My New Year’s resolution was to start doing more of what makes me happy and live in the moment,” said freshman adolescence education major Alanna Jones. “To help achieve my resolution I am trying to say yes to things I wouldn’t normally do.”
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