The 30 Best New Year's Resolutions for Students

Hey, students, are you looking for some New Year’s resolutions to kick off 2009? The trouble with resolutions is this: people make resolutions that are either too big, too vague, or too unrealistic. Instead, it’s helpful to find some small, realistic, and specific goals that truly can be accomplished.
As a student, set your goals realistically. Stay away from “I’m going to get a 4.0 next semester!” if you’re having trouble maintaining a 2.5. And be specific. Vague goals like, “I’m going to study more!” are terrific, but how much more?
Here are some realistic and specific New Year’s Resolutions for college students. Pick and choose the ones that may help you — or use this as a guide to find manageable, realistic steps you can take to becoming a better students.

1. Study five more hours a week
2. Complete at least 50 percent more of the readings.
3. Proofread all of your papers more carefully.
4. Organize a study group.
5. Avoid putting off at least one paper until the last minute.
6. Avoid putting off studying at the last minute for at least one exam.
7. Attend classes at least 50 percent more often.
8. Pay attention in class at least 50 percent better.
9. Once a week, review all of your notes.
10. Give up Facebook and television during exam times (or cut down on these by a set amount).
11. Participate 50 percent more in class discussions. If you’re shy, resolve to speak in class at least once per class period.
12. Avoid doing an all-nighter for a full semester (or, if you do lots of these, try to cut your all-nighters in half).
13. Visit each professor at his or her office hour at least once this semester to ask questions.
14. Start keeping a calendar of your assignments to help you organize your time better.
15. Take the time to read your syllabi carefully at the beginning of the semester, and ask questions if you don’t understand something on there.
16. Sleep an average of 30 minutes more per night.
17. Get up an average of 30 minutes earlier in the morning on school days.
18. Cut down on drinking at least 25 percent.
19. Cut down on junk food at least 25 percent.
20. Go to the gym at least once a week for an hour.
21. Improve your overall GPA by .3 by the end of the semester.
22. Improve your grades for the semester by at least half a grade point from last semester.
23. Take a class you’ve been putting off because it scares you, like public speaking or a math requirement.
24. Read the newspaper at least twice a week (online is fine) so you don’t forget what’s going on in the world.
25. Cut down on whatever it is you waste too much time doing (video games, Facebook, TV, etc.) by 20 percent.
26. If you’re overly involved with clubs, cut back your participation by 20 percent.
27. If you’d like to be more involved in more clubs, join one this semester and give it a shot.
28. Stop texting your friends while you’re in class (or reading the newspaper, or IMing, or whatever you’re doing instead of listening to the professor).
29. Call your parents at least once a week.
30. Be forgiving with yourself as a student. If you don’t always do as good as you’d like, don’t beat yourself up, and don’t compare yourself to other people. All you can do is the best you can.