Let's be real, okay?

I’ve been really hesitant about writing down my “new year’s resolutions” this year. In all honesty, I don’t think I’ve ever written them down… This year is a different story, though. You see, in years past, I never really wanted to write them down. I guess I just didn’t see the point. However, I’ve been hearing a lot lately that if you write your goals down, you are much more likely to accomplish them.  So I figured I’d give it a shot. The one thing that has kept me from doing this sooner (like on New Year’s), is that I have so many things that I want to accomplish, and let’s be real, okay? They are tough. At least to me they are. There is a great possibility that I am just weaker than everyone else… but that doesn’t matter! These are my goals, okay?!

Moving on…

I’ve decided to save myself from justifying my “goal breaking” in the future, by justifying them now. That way, in the future, I won’t be breaking any goals when I decide to eat an extra cookie every once in a while or when I really am too tired to wake up for that miserable 9:30 class of mine. The reason you all get to know my goals and guidelines is because these are really things I want to accomplish this year. If you write a goal down, you are that much more likely to accomplish it. So what if anyone who wants to can read your goals? That’s got to give me an even better chance at this. And trust me, I’m going to need all the “much more likely’s” and “better chances” I can get.  So here’s to hoping!

1.      Eat healthier

At first, I was going to try and cut junk food completely out of my diet, but let’s be real, okay? There is no way I can go a year with absolutely no junk food… well, I guess I could if there were a good enough incentive. So the goal is simply to eat healthier than I did this past year – and if I’m being honest, that probably won’t be too difficult.

2.      Exercise often

I made a bet with Ashlin, Valery, and Mike. Whoever has a six pack by the time Scout Camp comes, wins. Ashlin and I tried this last year… yeah, neither of us won. But we are serious this time!  And now it’s written down, er, typed in! And there are names and everything! (I’m pretty sure Mike already had a six pack when we made this bet… ). The goal is to exercise at least enough to get a six pack by June 12^th.

3.      Earlier bed time

Man, last semester was the hardest one of my life! And it’s all because I never got to bed before like, 3:00 in the morning! It was terrible and it led to some terrible consequences. But, let’s be real, okay? I’m a college student – staying up late is part of the job (if you can call that a job). The goal is to be in bed before midnight at least four nights a week.

4.      Stop skipping class

This is one of those terrible consequences I was just talking about! And it led to even more terrible consequences. I tried to schedule my classes for later in the afternoon, but one thing led to another and now I have a class at 9:30 in the morning. I know, I know, “Try getting up for a 7:30 class”. Remember that thing I said earlier about me being weaker than most people?  The goal is to skip no more than two classes (as in, two of each class).

5.      Get a job

Well, pretty much my life depends on this one… maybe it should be higher up on the list. Thankfully, I’ve got tuition covered. Eating, however, is another story. The goal is to have a job by the end of January... and keep it!

6.      No caffeine

I was going to try for no soda, but let’s be real, okay? (This is another example of my “weakness”). I live for Dr. Pepper, so we’ll see how this one goes. The goal is seriously, to not drink any caffeinated drinks for the entire year.

7.      Save money

I took a Family Finance (or Financial Family, as I liked to call it) class last semester that kind of opened my eyes to finance… and the fact that I have a mere $75.00 in my savings account. I know, that’s going to get me REAL far in life, right? Also, this is pretty much entirely (can I say that?) dependent on Goal #5: Get a job.  The goal is to save up enough money to pay my parents back and then enough to go to Australia next year with the fam, and then enough to buy a car, and then enough to – nope, I’m stopping before this one becomes too unrealistic.

8.      No fast food

This will certainly help with Goal #1, Goal #3, and Goal #7. How will not eating fast food help me get to bed earlier, you ask? Well, in the year and a half that I have been going to college, 2:00 AM McDonald’s runs have become a pretty regularly occurring thing. But they must stop!  So, the goal is to completely cut fast food from my diet. Let’s be real, okay? I’m not as hopeful about this one as I should be…PS. Chinese food doesn't count.

9.      Pay back parents

School costs money, ya know? Money that I don’t have. It’s true: $75.00 is NOT enough to pay for tuition, books, fees, housing, food, gas, etc.  I’m pretty stringent on borrowing money from people – I hate it. And as painful as it was for me to ask my parents to help me out, I couldn’t bear to even think about asking the government. The goal is to be completely out of my parent’s debt by the end of the year.

10.   Get associates degree

16 more credits – that is all I need. If I go to bed earlier, I won’t skip class as often, and then, I’ll be able to get this bad boy! The goal is to get my associates degree in May of this year.

11.   Make friends

Yeah, I’m even less hopeful about this one than I am the fast food one….

12.   Stop popping knuckles

Even less hopeful about this one. That’s why these ones are at the bottom…

13.   BLOG

One reason I can’t sleep (aside from the 2:00 AM McDonald’s runs) is because I can’t stop thinking. It’s horrible. My mind is always racing. So, maybe if I write down what is racing through my head, I’ll be able to sleep. I don’t want this to be super specific, so the goal it just to blog as much as is necessary for a full night’s sleep.

Well there you have it. I wish you all luck with your resolutions… and I wish myself luck with mine – like I said, I’m going to need it.