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Go From Average to Awesome with these Top New Year Resolutions for College Students

by StudyMalaysia.com on December 31, 2014 | Top Stories

Have you ever made New Year resolutions? What do you think are the best kind of resolutions to make? And why do you think we make New Year resolutions? If you think you'd like to learn something new, do something better or stop doing something that is not good for you in the coming year, get can some ideas here. You might be surprised with what you discover.

What do you think are the most common resolutions people make? The New Year is a great time to reflect on what we want to do differently in the coming 12 months. What are some changes that you want to or need to make to be a better student?

"Make them and break them?" The thing about resolutions is that many people make resolutions only to break them after a month (or less!). Don't fall into that trap! Try making resolutions that allow you to measure your progress, or set achievable targets for each month. There's some good news to get you started—according to Statistic Brain, “people who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don't explicitly make resolutions”. In other words, if you give your resolutions some thought, put them on a list and make a commitment to stick to them, you will be 10 times more likely to reach your goals.

Wanna be an awesome student instead of one hovering around ‘average' but don't know where to start? Try these out!

Get out of the procrastination rut.

So how do you make this resolution measurable? Here are some ideas: Complete all your assignments one whole day before it is due; start studying three weeks before an exam; set aside one ‘free' hour each day with nothing planned – use this time to catch up on what you would otherwise postpone.

Find new ways of using the library.

The library is more than just a place to sit and study, though some may argue it's a social meeting point. There are many resources available to students – you just need to learn how to use them. Here are some things you can do: browse the entire physical library and learn how books are catalogued; find out what journals your library subscribes to and learn to access the titles that are related to your field of study; learn (once and for all) how to create a bibliography in the citation format your college uses.

Commit to getting a higher CGPA.

Your grades aren't going to go higher with you just making a resolution. First, you need to decide how much higher you want your CGPA to be (be realistic!). Next, determine what grades you need to attain to close the gap. For example, if you need 2As and 2Bs in the coming semester to reach or maintain a CGPA of 3.5, you need to plan your studies accordingly. You might need to put in extra work on a project, or get help in a subject in which you are less confident.

Get enough sleep.

How much is enough? That's for you to decide but 8 hours is a good benchmark. Commit to getting a certain number of hours of sleep each night – don't try to roll forward your targeted hours by getting only 4 hours from Monday to Friday and then sleeping 20 hours straight at the weekend.

Cut down on time spent on social media.

Yes, you read right. So how do you start? Choose from this list: stop tweeting about how hungry you are (we know that already!); don't access any social media apps while in class (even if the lecturer is late – read your notes instead); only ‘snapchat' or ‘instagram' your food at the weekend; allow yourself only one post or 3 comments per day on Facebook (it's harsh, we know).

Exercise.

Yup, this is an all-time favourite among those who make resolutions. The plus side is that exercise boosts brain activity, which is good for students. Here's a tip: this resolution has a higher chance of success when done with others. Need ideas? Try these: train for a hike up a mountain trail (Mt Kinabalu comes to mind); learn a new team sport; sign up for a 10k run with a few buddies; join a class (yoga, Capoiera, MMA, boot camp).

Get to know your lecturers or professors.

We are not telling you to stalk them. Instead, find out the office hours which they extend to students and talk to them about a topic you're learning in class or discuss some ideas you have for your assignment. You'll get a better idea of how they think and they will also get to know you better. This could be handy when you need a letter of recommendation from them. They could even give you good leads on internship or job opportunities.

Try something new and different.

If this is your first semester, everything would seem new and incredibly different. However, after a while, we all tend to get stuck in the same routine. Try out something new every month – you never know what new thing you could enjoy or be good at. Attend a guest lecture; watch and cheer at a live game on campus; attend an event you won't normally go for; make friends with students from other colleges; take part in a play or performance. Here are the top 10 New Year's resolutions for 2014 from Statistic Brain. Do you think it will be any different for 2015? Do any of the resolutions look familiar? Start making your own resolutions today and you might just be surprised with the rewards that could be waiting for you at the end of the year.

  1. Lose Weight
  2. Getting Organized
  3. Spend Less, Save More
  4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest
  5. Staying Fit and Healthy
  6. Learn Something Exciting
  7. Quit Smoking
  8. Help Others in Their Dreams
  9. Fall in Love
  10. Spend More Time with Family

Top New Year Resolutions For College Students

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