New year, new goals! As we leave 2021 behind, it’s the perfect opportunity to set some new intentions for the upcoming year and to reflect on what you’d most like to accomplish. Here are some ideas for potential resolutions to make 2022 your most successful year yet. Aim to pick three goals to focus on for the year ahead!
- Try participating more in class
Being an active participant in class is a great way to build strong relationships with your teachers, which can be helpful later on when you need letters of recommendation for college. It’s also a great way to internalize what you’ve learned in class and from your homework, and gives you an opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone.
- Commit to getting more organized
It can be easy to forget about upcoming assignments or time commitments without any tools to keep you on track. To keep on top of your busy schedule, try utilizing a planner or agenda, or use a calendar app on your phone. Soon you’ll never miss another deadline or appointment again!
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
When you’re balancing school, homework, extracurriculars, and preparing for college, health can start to feel like less and less of a priority. But, it’s important to take care of yourself in order to maintain energy for all the facets of your life. Aim to exercise more, eat a more balanced diet, drink more water, and get a full night’s sleep every night. Even adopting one healthy habit can make a huge difference!
- Read at least one book a month
Reading regularly is key to developing your reading comprehension and writing skills, and building a strong vocabulary. Not only that, but once you get into the habit of reading often, it can be a great way to relax, and an awesome way to pick up new information. Pick books you personally find interesting —whether nonfiction or fiction— and aim to read one a month.
- Press pause on your social media
While social media apps like Instagram and TikTok are fun, and a great way to connect with friends, they can stress students out, and cause them to compare their lives to others’ in a way that is not always healthy. Try taking regular breaks from social media, commit to using it only at certain hours of the day, or participate in a digital detox to reset yourself and keep things in perspective.
- Practice self-care
The life of a student can be stressful and busy. It’s important to step back and make time for yourself. Aim to schedule regular self-care activities into your routine to take care of your mental health. Most of the best self-care activities are completely free, and don’t need to take up a lot of time in your day. For example, starting a journal, setting aside time for hobbies, or meditating are great ways to de-stress.
- Get a head start on your college goals
It’s never too late for you to get a jump start on your post-high school objectives, and it can save you time later down the line when it’s finally time to apply! Start looking into colleges you’d be interested in, brainstorm essay ideas, and tackle those standardized tests early, so you can have more peace of mind when senior year rolls around.
- Try something new
It can be easy for us to get caught up in our routines, and be automatically drawn to things both familiar and comfortable to us. Step out of your comfort zone this year, and try something entirely new this year. For example, experiment with a new hobby, join a new club, volunteer somewhere new, or try making some new friends!
- Break a bad habit
We all have habits we know we’d be better off without. Maybe you leave your homework to the last second, and stress yourself out trying to finish it in time. Maybe you stay up too late at night, and regularly end up feeling exhausted at school. Or, maybe you forget to leave yourself enough time in the morning to eat breakfast. Pick a bad habit to leave behind in 2021, and commit to breaking it in the new year.
- Build better study habits
Developing good study habits is imperative to succeeding in school. Even small habit adjustments, like finding a good environment to study in regularly, being proactive about your studies to avoid cramming, and reviewing your class notes regularly, can help you keep yourself on track for success. Sometimes study habits aren’t one size fits all, so work with your teachers and Zinkerz educators to figure out more habits that would work best for you.
