To find joy in every day

Emily Fried | Contributor

My resolution for 2020 is to find joy in each day. As I am going into the second half of my sophomore year, I find myself getting lost in work and obligations.

I have always strived to be an overachiever, and while that is a strong goal to have, I often put work above my mental health and happiness.

In early 2019, I read author Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” which later prompted her Netflix series.

While this helped my organizational habits, I still frequently become bogged down by a multitude of daily tasks.

This year, with multiple jobs and assignments building up, I aim to to search for the little things in my life that will spark joy.

I plan on taking the year 2020 much slower than I have previous years. I tend to go through life pretty quickly, running from place to place and jumping from task to task.

The idea of stopping to smell the roses is a little cliché, but it is a saying I think many college students take for granted.

I worry that I am not taking enough time to genuinely enjoy my college experience.

There are many opportunities at NIU that are about more than just nourishment for career ambitions.

I plan on not only stopping to smell those roses, but on going out and searching for them myself.

To share learned lessons

Alma Garcia | Contributor

Full disclosure, resolutions have never been my strong suit, but with the close of the decade I’ve had some epiphanies about life I’d like to share.

One of the epiphanies I’ve had is that we are all responsible for this planet and it’s future.

No matter how small we might feel in the grand scheme of things, we all have a say. This is our home, and we should actively care for it.

Secondly, with our daily responsibilities it is very easy to forget that we are temporary creatures and our time has an unpredictable expiration date.

Over the past decade I wasted too much time on self doubt and kept myself locked in comfortable cages.

Dig deep within yourself and realize what it is you want and need to accomplish in this life, and let that be your driving force.

Lastly, everyone needs help and direction at some point, and there is no shame in seeking it.

When we’re young there is a naive narcissism that leads us to believe we know what we’re doing or that we have to figure it out alone.

Remember that we are all human, and no matter how low you feel, we’ve all been there.

So here’s to the new decade. Let us live intentionally and with personal purpose.

To take care of myself

Sarah Connolly | Contributor

My resolution is to manage my mental health. I say manage because I neglected to seek assistance for my struggles last semester.

Many can relate to the lack of motivation simply to leave bed, attend class and work or move beyond going to the couch.

Fall 2019 was filled with lost opportunities. I was supposed to graduate this semester, but I did poorly enough in most of my classes to require an additional semester.

Only 41% of first-time full-time college students earn a bachelor’s degree in four years, according to a 2019 study by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Statistics such as these made me realize what a small amount of time four years is. Some people need more. I know I do.

I neglected opportunities handed down from professor after professor.

I need the extra time to prove to myself that I can get my degree.

Many people can have mental health struggles now and again.

Just because someone overcomes something once does not mean it is easy to go through it again.

It is tiring to feel a certain way and not know why or how.

My resolution is to turn to those I love if I feel myself slipping down that rabbit hole. Moreover, I will seek the resources available for students on campus.

I know I can be stubborn when it comes to asking for help, but the people I know best know when to give me that push.

To focus on my health

Jack Baudoin | Contributor

My resolution for this year is to be all round healthier. Ever since I started college, my healthy habits have somewhat gone down the drain.

In high school, having PE everyday really helped me stay active. In college, my work out habits have slipped, and I have found myself straying towards unhealthier food options as well. It is a lot easier to go and grab a quick bite to eat at McDonald’s than it is to find a healthier option.

There is a phenomenon called the “Freshman 15,”  and in the years after my freshman year this has sadly gotten more towards the “Junior 30.” While gaining this weight is not an altogether bad thing, seeing as I was 6 feet 1 inch tall in high school and only 140 pounds, I am now at a healthier weight, but at the cost of living an unhealthy lifestyle. 

This year, I plan to take back my good health and begin working out on my own accord, as well as eat healthier. I am going to work out at least three times a week and switch out fruits and vegetables for unhealthy snacks. It is a small start, but it is a start that will lead me to be all around healthier.