The Best New Year’s Resolutions for Students

The Best New Year’s Resolutions for Students

As the year comes to a close, some of you may be thinking further ahead to what next year may bring. We’re a firm believer that you can set your mind to something new on any day of the year. But following tradition, we’ve pulled together some inspiring ideas for New Year’s resolutions that will help you balance your body and mind… and bank balance!

Join a sports team

University is a perfect place to join a sports society, not just for some friendly competition, but for your health, fitness, and social life. Whatever university you’re studying at, there will be plenty of sports clubs for you to join, like hockey, rugby, climbing, gymnastics, and dance.

Why not head down to your student union and find out what they have on offer in the year ahead? And if you don’t see a club you like, you could create a society of your own for the sport you’d like to see represented!

Schedule well-being days

If you haven’t already heard of self-care days, then you heard it here first. University can be overwhelming and stressful at times, especially during exam periods, so dedicating a day now and again to collect your thoughts and re-balance your mind is highly recommended.

Take a guilt-free day to do whatever you like — whether that’s looking around London’s free museums, spending time with friends, or simply hiding under your duvet watching Netflix — will work wonders for your mental well-being. After taking a day out, you’ll be rested and ready to start studying again with fresh eyes.

Organise your deadlines

We all know how easy it can be to leave an assignment until the very last minute before it’s due. To save yourself the heart palpitations and the risk of a low grade, make a rule that you will finish every assignment at least 3 days before it’s due. This goes for your lectures too. We all know that those extra five minutes of sleep can sometimes turn into an hour, and before you know it, you’ve skipped a class.

Make a resolution to go to ALL of your classes. You never know what important information you may miss, and if you do miss a class, you’ll only spend more of your free time later trying to catch up!

Limit your screen time

We’re all guilty of it: swapping from laptop to phone to TV and back again. This excessive screen time can cause headaches and eyesight problems, and even disrupt your circadian rhythms (the physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow the 24-hour cycle).

Looking ahead to next year, make a plan to limit your screen time. If you’re finding it hard to break away from your screens, why not go for a walk, get some fresh air or read a book between late afternoon and evening study periods?

Support a cause

University is the perfect time to (quite literally) shout about a cause you care about, whether it’s political, charitable or environmental. As well as making a positive difference in the world, by supporting a cause you’re passionate about, you’ll likely meet new friends who share your interests and values too.

A popular cause in January is Veganuary; a 31-day challenge away from eating or utilising animal products.

Start saving for summer

We all know that university summers mean picnics, parties, barbecues, festivals, and holidays. So although it might only be coming up to January, it’s never too early to plan for a summer jam-packed with fun activities.

It might seem like a tough feat to save money as a student, but giving up the expensive coffee in the morning on your way to class or that impulsive shopping spree on a Friday afternoon will save you the money you need to make those summer plans a reality. Sticking to these habits from January to May will help you store a pot of money away to help you enjoy all those exciting summer plans ahead.

We know that resolutions are notoriously hard to stick to, but we hope our suggestions are no more than light changes to your usual daily routines that will help you make a positive impact on your mental, physical, and financial health.

Why not make a list now of the most important, easy-to-continue, and worthwhile resolutions for you?

And if you’re looking to move into a new student residence in West London next year, contact us or call us at +44 (0)203 195 3214.