Why do people make New Year’s Resolutions? New Year’s day is just like the day before, nothing special besides a number given to a day to dictate that the Earth has made a full rotation around the Sun. If you want to make a change in your life, you have to wait for a certain day to make it significant. I believe the most significant changes are not timed, an opportunity presents itself and it effects one so much to cause an immediate change, one that doesn’t have to wait for the first of January.
Going into my freshman year of college, everyone assumes that they will change. A new lifestyle is thrust upon you and how you embrace it determines who you are. Or at least that’s how it feels. Welcome Week was especially an anxious time for me because it felt like I had to be apart of everything and school hadn’t even started yet. Soon enough I adjusted to college life and made changes to my habits, behavior, and interests.
This past year I have really tried to not stress out so much. Stress is my tragic flaw. I will be cool as a cucumber but when a lot of assignments and obligations pile up I generally crumble. Trying to manage my stress level was especially hard with general chemistry; which dictated most of my time this past year. However, I think the added challenge helped me become better quicker. I am still working on controlling my stress level but I found a few things that helped me along the way. Working out and a hot cup of mint tea always seem to ease my mind. It’s ironic that by doing these things I’m procrastinating more, but it helps me relax. Practicing yoga, playing volleyball with some friends, or just watching Daredevil on the elliptical seem to be personal favorites. This may sound strange but by not stressing I have developed a better relationship to those close to me. Usually when I feel a lot of pressure I get very irritated any minute. I definitely don’t snap at people anymore which helps to keep me calm and I stress less. Also the events that Morrill Tower and ENR Scholars hold are very fun and help take my mind off things. My favorite event was the Lucky’s cooking workshop. I learned a lot of valuable skills from that.
I am also currently working on being mindful. The OAC Sea Kayaking trip prompted this thinking. I find my practicing mindfulness, just by a daily prompt or journaling, that I appreciate things in my daily life a lot more and it’s a great way to relieve stress and collect thoughts. It’s also great to go back read previous journal entries and see what past me was thinking.
My two main targets that I want to work on now are motivation and patience. A lot of times I am unmotivated to do things like workout, clean or do homework. I realized that by making lists I am instantly more likely to do things which helps with motivation and procrastination but it is no where near strong yet. Also the older I get the more impatient I become. It’s probably because I am not considering other people’s perspectives and needs. I believe if I work on that then I will be more understanding leading to more overall patience.
I believe the changes in my life that I have made this year and are still trying to make are inspired by the simple need to be happier and live the best life I can. Although that sounds cheesy, why wouldn’t anyone want to me more relaxed and at peace? Also living with a mix of different people has opened me up to a lot new things that I wouldn’t have been exposed to without them.
ENR Scholars Earth Month allowed me to explore a part of myself that I have been hesitant to change; my diet. Over the course of the month I progressively practiced veganism. This allowed me to try out a diet that was completely new to me. I want to practice this in full over the summer now because it’s easier to make vegan options at home opposed to finding them in dining halls. Along with veganism I want to try a couple other diets that I have done research in. By diet, I mean a lifestyle of eating. I want to find what’s the healthiest for me, what effects my body and mind best, and what helps the environment, animals, and humans.
Usually I am taking in lots of things from the world around me. I am constantly observing people and things. Lately I have been taking in nature because of the springtime and nice weather. I have also been just trying to enjoy every moment I get with a person because everyone is leaving for the summer. I think that I am giving the world back service and honesty. I do a lot of volunteer work because it feels like I am making my time valuable compared to just watching Netflix. Also I always try to be honest with others, a skill I have definitely strengthened in college. It is very hard sometimes but in the long run it makes everything easier and helps with communication. This rages from relationships, to teamwork, and even being honest with myself.