25 New Year's Resolutions For College Students

Simply put, college is hard. At times, it seems utterly impossible to have decent grades and maintain a social life, all while remembering to get enough sleep and each a vegetable or two every now and then. But the New Year is a perfect opportunity to start fresh with concrete goals that'll make you feel more like you have a handle on your life and less like the "I'm fine" dog engulfed in flames. The following resolutions are tailored for students and will ensure that college really is the best four years of your life. Cheers to a successful 2017!

1. Get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Yes, this is possible, people. A simple hack for accomplishing it? Turn off your phone at a certain time each night so you're not tempted to aimlessly scroll through Instagram and Facebook until 2 a.m.

2. Start volunteering. Whether it's at a local school, hospital, or nursing home, taking advantage of volunteer opportunities is a great way to give back to your local community. Get some friends involved to make it a fun group activity each week or month.

3. Stay in touch with your friends from home. It's easy to just rely on Summer or holiday breaks to plan catch-up session, but try maintaining those friendships from grade school and high school by sending snail mail or occasionally video chatting.

4. Eat at least one fruit or vegetable per day. Make your parents proud. And no, the lime you sucked on after your tequila shot doesn't count.

5. Cheer on your school at different sporting events, not just football games. Show some love to the women's lacrosse team or the men's tennis squad, and take advantage of every opportunity to show your school pride while you're still in college.

6. Finish your papers before the actual deadline. Pulling a coffee-induced all-nighter to meet a deadline may seem like a college bucket list activity, but give your nerves a break and try completing it ahead of time. Here's an easy trick to ensure you'll actually keep this resolution: write the due dates in your agenda for one day prior than the actual deadline.

7. And while you're at it, starting studying more than just the day before an exam. Yes, this means actually doing your assigned reading throughout the semester, not just skimming through the chapters the night before a test.

8. Stop skipping class. Or, more realistically, only skip one or two classes all semester.

9. Join a new club to broaden your friend group. Whether it's an organization that pertains to your major or something completely random (hello, skydiving club!), you're bound to encounter someone new that could become a new lifelong pal.

10. Cook a minimum of one meal each day. Your budget (and your waistline) will thank you for skipping out on your usual Chinese takeout.

11. Call or FaceTime your parents once a week — or more! And don't forget to thank them for giving you the opportunity to attend college in the first place.

12. Hang out with your professor at their office hours. Set your alarm, skip out on that one lunch date, and do what you have to do to ensure that you can make it to your professors' office hours. Asking questions about course material is so much more effective when done face-to-face rather than via email.

13. Study in a new spot on campus every month. Sure, we all have our tried-and-true nook in the on-campus library (you know, the one that's just close enough to the bathroom but also has a great view of the section where the cute guys always happen to sit). But finding a new area can.

14. Read your textbooks or assigned reading, not the Spark Notes or online summaries. Don't let them sit in a dusty pile on your shelf all semester!

15. Find a mentor within your major and form a relationship with them. Whether it's a professor who's willing to give you study tips or an older classmate who's already been in your shoes, a solid mentor can be a fountain of much-needed advice.

16. Take advantage of every job or internship fair on campus. Your college organizes these for a reason. Attend them, make connections, give out business cards, and follow up with your new connections a week or so later to establish a real relationship.

17. Make a month-by-month plan for landing an internship. Scoring your dream internship is no easy feat. It takes planning, and the New Year is the perfect time to do it, once you find your perfect agenda.

18. Take more spontaneous trips off campus with your friends. It's easy to get sucked into the bubble of your college campus and stick to your same few bars and restaurants. So step outside your same old routine and visit a nearby city to shake things up every now and then.

19. Study abroad. It's true — studying abroad takes a toll on the wallet. But there are plenty of scholarships available for anyone interested in working or studying in a foreign country for a semester. Meet with an adviser and make a concrete plan to ensure that you can spend some time abroad. It's worth the investment.

20. Make your bed every day. A simple and doable way to make you feel like you have your life together.

21. Start doing your own laundry — more than once a month. Don't wait until your hamper is overflowing or until you go home for you mom to scrub out that red wine stain from your favorite white tank top.

22. Broaden your drinking horizons. Although vodka and cranberry juice may be the most budget-friendly option, try shaking things up with a craft beer or specialty cocktail every now and then. Treat yourself, ladies.

23. Get a part-time job. Whether you work at the front desk of your on-campus library or serve up coffee at your local Starbucks, having solid work experience during college will show future employers that you're capable of juggling a lot while (hopefully) maintaining your sanity.

24. Take advantage of the on-campus gym more. We had to have at least one fitness-related resolution in here, right? When you graduate and have to start paying for your gym membership, you'll wonder why you never visited your on-campus gym when you had free access in college.

25. Set a weekly budget for yourself. Adulthood will be here before you know it, so start preparing now by mastering your budgeting skills. Say no to that last shot at closing time, and save those few dollars for something more dire — like a bottle of wine for girls' night in.