My 5 College Resolutions 2021-2025

Hi friends, hope we’re all keeping well.

At the time of writing this, my college life will officially begin next week. Granted, most lectures and classes will still be online, but there will still be some face-to-face opportunities, which I’m really excited for.

Since I feel like this is the beginning of a new chapter in my life, I’ve decided it’s only appropriate that I make a college resolutions list. Here, I’ll go over some things that I vow to do and vow not to do. These are sort of like lessons I’ve learnt, from mistakes and regrets I (and seemingly many others) have made in the past.

Plus, I think it would be entertaining to look back on this post a couple years after graduation or something, and reflect on whether or not I kept my word on any of these resolutions (hopefully I do🤦🏻‍♂️) 🙃

🙋🏻‍♂️1. Have Courage🙋🏻‍♂️

Remember the Spotlight effect, in that absolutely no one is thinking about you. Might be hard to swallow at first, but it’s reality. Whether that’s inherently good or not depends on how you want to interpret it.

The way I see it though, is this thought is just so liberating. Don’t feel embarrassed for asking questions in class, trying out new things, wearing your favourite clothes, looking for advice, or just trying to be open and friendly. Basically, have the courage to express your feelings, say your thoughts, and be someone true to yourself.

People are more mature than you think, and they’re all too worried about their own problems to even care about what you yourself are doing.

**🤝2. Make Connections🤝**

Network, talk, and get to know as many people as possible, even if you just exchange instagrams or something.

From what I’ve heard, college is a great place to find and meet new people. With some of these ‘new’ people potentially becoming important people later on in life, it’s probably a good idea to get to know them early on. 🙃

😵‍💫3. Do Not Work Too Hard😵‍💫

This one is kind of inspired from the book ‘The Top Five Regrets of the Dying’ by Bronnie Ware.

While yes, we’re all here in college to get our degrees and to get a job, at the end of the day it’s important to remember we’re here only once.

And although it is incredibly easy to get distracted with studying and working, especially in the college environment, spending time with friends, family, and the people you care about is ultimately more important.

**🌟4. Avail of Everything College has to Offer🌟**

While researching for this post and ideas for more resolutions, I came across this one, where many students confessed that they regret not utilising everything that their college had to offer.

These involved things like foreign exchange programs, free learning resources, and of course clubs and societies.

Not only do these things enhance college life and make it easier in some cases, I believe they also help make you a more well-rounded college student.

🧠5. Learn and Be Mindful🧠

Finally, there’s so much stuff to learn, try out, and experience in college. Treasure troves of information and knowledge are available in the libraries, it would be a shame to not at least have a look sometime. There are many sports clubs and societies that offer so many different and exciting activities, it would be an even greater shame to not at least try them out for a session or two.

I remember a friend telling a story of their old English teacher, where he said his best advice for any new student entering college, was to join a society/club in which they never in a million years would imagine themselves joining.

This advice comes after the teacher himself did just that, and joined a theatre society even though he never had any interest in the performing arts. This decision turned out to be one of the best he ever made, and he even claims that those years of joining the theatre society were some of the best in his life.

It’s an interesting anecdote to hear, and one I always remind myself of when I feel embarrassed or afraid of joining a club for something I’ve never tried before.

At the end of the day, life is honestly too short, so you *might as well* try whatever you can and make the most of it.

Also, remember to be mindful and aware of what’s going on around you. Remember the locations of places, where certain resources can be found, and be able to navigate through campus as best you can. Pay attention to how people around you are behaving, and observe your surroundings. Always notice the little things.

….that wasn’t really a resolution for college specifically, but it’s something I’m determined to improve upon in college anyway 🙃

Cool, that’ll probably do it for this post. It took a bit longer than expected, as I really wanted to sit down and contemplate what exactly I’m looking for in college. The idea for this post was in my head for ages; I just needed time to flesh it out properly I suppose😅

Anyway, stay safe and I’ll hopefully see you in another post 👋🏼