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A New Year, a New Beginning: New Year's Resolutions for College Students

Be there to help and watch your child succeed.

The New Year has arrived and with it comes a new semester and a new start for your college student.  While many students will make New Year’s Resolutions, history shows that most resolutions don’t last very long – mainly because they are too difficult or simply unrealistic.

College students are much more likely to keep resolutions if they are realistic and attainable. Encourage your student to pick a few relatively easy things that will make life better for them and those around them. They’ll feel better about themselves and the new semester if they get their new year started off right. Below are a few suggestions for simple resolutions that may be useful, and achievable, for your college student:

• Get extra sleep every night
• Read at least one book per semester just for fun 
• Keep up better with the news and current events
• Spend a little less time watching TV or playing video games
• Call home more often
• Do laundry before it piles up on the floor
• Avoid drama as much as possible 
• Recycle
• Pay better attention in class
• Attend class more often
• Volunteer each semester at a local charity
• Eat breakfast every day 
• Encourage them to stop comparing themselves  to other students who they might think are smarter or more attractive
• Establish a budget and become more financially responsible
• Only use credit cards for emergencies
• Spend less time online – unless its for studying
• Exercise more

Article courtesy of University Parent Media.