The humble New Year’s resolution: the reason it’s next to impossible to find a vacant stair-stepper at the Ritchie Center, everyone’s 10 minutes early to your 8 a.m. and the line at Fat Shack isn’t out the door. So easy to make, yet so hard to keep—often by the second week of the new year, your intention to cut out all carbs and sugar or learn Mandarin becomes nothing but a distant dream. The first step towards making a resolution reality is choosing something doable and simple as opposed to vague and unrealistic. After that, these hacks will help you stick to your goals throughout the new year.
The resolution: get in shape
The hack: schedule your workout like you would a class—but don’t think of it in the same way. By designating a specific time to get your exercise in and giving attendance the same priority you would a lecture-heavy class, you’ll be more likely to stick to it. Conversely, don’t stress out about hitting the gym in the same way you would about trekking to Sturm; remember, working out can and should be a positive addition to your life, not just another commitment to suck up all of your free time.
The resolution: ditch class less
The hack: reward yourself every time you resist skipping. This doesn’t mean treat yourself for every class you actually attend—reserve rewards for when it’s snowing but you still walked all the way to the Mass Communications building for your 8 a.m. or stayed up an extra hour studying so you would get a better score on your calculus quiz. Celebrate your victories and eventually you’ll break your addiction to class-ditching.
The resolution: get more sleep
The hack: treat your bed as a sacred space strictly for sleep. Resist the inclination to do schoolwork or watch Netflix and soon your brain will associate your bed solely with sleep so you can fall asleep faster. Naps are also a co-ed’s best friend—just avoid taking them after 3 p.m. and for more than an hour, otherwise you’ll keep yourself up at night.
The resolution: stop procrastinating
The hack: schedule study time in a productive environment. Find a quiet spot in the Anderson Commons (avoid studying in your room altogether) and create a to-do list just for the scheduled time, do not open Instagram and then don’t stop working until the time is finished. Having an end point will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and if you do this often enough, you’ll never have to worry about a last minute 10-page essay or elaborate project again.
The resolution: save more money
The hack: make a budget, check it twice. A dinner out here, a nightclub cover charge there, another book you have to buy for class thrown into the equation and all your spending money vanishes in a cloud of confusion. Start by tracking how much you spend each month with a tracker like mint.com and then figure out where you can cut back.
Using these hacks, you can stick to even your most ambitious resolutions and make 2016 your best year yet.
