New Year, New Me

Sarah Ardolino

Staff Writer

I going to be honest with you, I hate New Year’s resolutions. Actually, let me rephrase that: I hate unrealistic New Year’s resolutions that always seem to be broken in the first month of starting.

You know how it goes; the gym is full for the first few weeks of January and Google searches of the newest fad diet skyrockets. Everyone wants to lose those few extra pounds and get that rocking “summer bod,” but those attempts are almost never successful.

People are trying to get skinny, not heathy. They want to change for society’s standards, not their own. I think in 2019, we should all pick up New Year’s resolutions that will actually better us as people, and not just change our outside appearances. So join me in end of January to self-betterment because who says we need to wait for the beginning of a year to start change. Here is a list of things we can do instead of just “getting skinny:”

1.) Drink More Water

This is a simple thing that people often overlook. Keeping hydrated is good for your mind and body. According to Health Line, consuming the recommended amount of eight, 8-ounce glasses of water daily, will improve physical performance, increase energy levels, prevent headaches and aid with weight loss. Try buying a new water bottle to inspire you to keep hydrated. Maybe, a cool blue Assumption College one?

2.) Journal

I love to journal, but I am so bad at it. It is really hard to find time during a busy college day to sit down and write. So, instead of a daily task, make journaling a weekly habit, something to look forward to. Journaling has a lot of benefits, including stress relieve and self-expression. It is a great way to release emotions. The best part about it is that there is no right way to do it. Poems, drawings, random thoughts are all acceptable.

3.) Stay Informed

It is so important to know what is going on in the world around us and it is so easy to forgot about everything else that is happening outside our little bubble here at Assumption College. Being educated on worldly issues keeps us aware. Consume whatever you can to get your news: Twitter, Snapchat, TV or newspaper (how meta).

4.) Disconnect

Have you ever been in a group of people were everyone is on their phones? Or out to dinner and see two people in the table over focusing on their screens and not each other? We are addicted to our phones. Try to put down the phone and try communicating with the people you’re with. Make more real life connections than online ones and live in the moment.

5.) Have a Positive Body Image

Instead of trying to change your body, try to change your mind-set about it. Get healthy, not skinny. Your body is your home, love and respect it. It is the only one you get. Every body is beautiful.

Sarah Ardolino, a junior, studies English. She is a staff writer for Le Provocateur.