New Year’s Resolutions for Undergraduates

As 2019 hits we all start to think about the dreaded “New Year’s Resolutions”! People around the world start to deny themselves of their favourite things, set unrealistic expectations and in many cases fail fast at their new year goals, which only makes you feel worse! As an undergraduate student there are a few resolutions that you might want to consider taking up to help you be happier, less stressed and better prepared for the future, here are just a few:

Whether you are working on a new project or cramming for an important exam it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and under pressure to be perfect, but the chances of every single piece of work you do being 100% perfect every time isn’t very realistic. You’re already trying hard, and while yes, there is definitely a right time to go the extra mile and put in those additional hours of revision it’s also OK to give yourself a break sometimes! Try your best, put in the effort, but if you don’t get the perfect score it’s OK! University is just the start of your career, and this certainly won’t be the last opportunity for you to shine.

A bad diet will only make you feel sluggish and ill, so ditch those ready meals and cook some fresh recipes from scratch. Healthy eating doesn’t have to break the bank either, there are plenty of healthy well-balanced meals you can cook at a reasonable cost and your body and brain will thank you for it. Don’t want to spend hours cooking? Check out Joe Wicks Lean in 15 or Jamie Oliver 15 Minute Meals for some speedy recipe inspiration!

One of the best things about University is the social side, and heading to a student night with your mates to have a few drinks is a great way to let your hair down and meet new people! If however you find yourself hitting the student union bar multiple nights of the week then your performance in lectures (and your bank balance) is likely to be taking the hit, so it’s important not to get too carried away on the social side. Instead plan ahead, choose your nights out when you have a lecture free morning the next day and factor it into your weekly budget so you don’t wake up with the dreaded fear to check your bank balance!

Big projects can seem overwhelming, and when you look at the mountain of work you need to do you might even find yourself putting it off repeatedly until you have no choice but to work through the night to finish it! Instead why not take baby steps and set yourself realistic targets to complete the work? For example, you might use week one to read one of the books on your list and note down quotes, week two to draft up the structure of your project, week three to complete the first 500 words etc. Small steps will help you plan and most importantly stay on track to stop you falling behind!

Getting stressed will only make it harder to complete your work, so make a new year’s resolution to take some time to chill out, plan ahead to make your workload more manageable... and try not to flap at the last minute! There are plenty of mindfulness and meditation apps available for your smartphone so consider giving these a try if you are struggling to find that inner zen!

This isn’t to say you need to know exactly what you want to do and have a firm plan, BUT it is helpful to start exploring options in January because it will give you a few months to think this over before it comes to your graduation! If you think that you’d like to get into a graduate scheme for example then you are probably going to need to apply within the next couple of months so it is worth having a think about the next steps now even if it is months before you leave Uni!

Whether you are applying for jobs, considering a postgraduate course or even planning a gap year there is no harm in creating a LinkedIn profile. A well-populated profile will make you discoverable to companies hiring and recruiters looking for candidates, so that you can be contacted about opportunities that are relevant without having to actively look for a job. It will also give you a nice base and structure to create a CV if you decide to apply for any roles in the future too!