Happy New Year!

It is hard to believe that it is 2017 already. I am hoping that the new year will bring new hope for some of us as well as change and growth.

Because we are college students, the New Year is a perfect time to set resolutions for ourselves that will make this academic year a positive one. Making New Year’s resolutions is a good thing if they are realistic and able to be fulfilled so that we can stick to them. We have to be specific about the goals that we set for the New Year.

Some of us will set goals about getting enough sleep so that we are able to concentrate in class and be alert when we are taking a test. Many students do not get enough sleep; college life is hard, and too often students are sleep deprived. Getting enough sleep is critical to our long-term success and health here at Eastern.

It is also important to find time to exercise, even if it is only 20 or 30 minutes keeping physically fit helps us to feel better about ourselves and may give us that extra burst of energy that we need to take that math exam that we have been dreading.

Another good resolution would be to eat healthy; it is hard to eat healthy at college, many of us do not have time to think about eating right and will grab whatever is close at hand like ramen noodles, cold pizza or take-out food. We can also try to set a goal for eating better at least for one meal out of the day, eating fruits and vegetables for a snack or switching out high calorie soda for 2 percent milk or caffeine-free diet soda, which may help us sleep better at night. No matter what we do, switching out unhealthy food can help lead us to a better lifestyle that may help us stay strong and healthy as we grow older.

Many of us here at Eastern are involved in all kinds of extra curricular activities that may be detrimental to our academics. While getting involved in clubs and teams can be a good thing it can also cause us to be overwhelmed and struggle with our classes. Make a News Year resolution to keep your academics at the forefront of our college life.

Let us try to challenge ourselves this semester to try new things that take us out of comfort zone; we might be surprised how much we can learn from others. Most of all let us try to remember what we are really here for. Nothing is more important than getting a good education. It leads to a lifetime of increased opportunities since we will always be more marketable and able to compete for the best jobs that pay the most money. Remember, to end something old we have to start with something new. Start this New Year with new resolutions that will improve our college lives as well as help improve our lives overall.

Happy New Year to everyone here at Eastern, and may all your expectations and goals be fulfilled.

Cindy Huff is an aging studies graduate student. She can be reached at 581-2812 or clhuff2@eiu.edu.