Whenever a new year rolls around, it's time for reinvention. For cleaning up your act, getting your life in order, and becoming a (hopefully) better version of yourself.
New Year's Resolutions
by: Emma Yee Yick
With a new year upon us, so are the ever daunting New Year's Resolutions. For some, these resolutions are pointless wastes of time, but for others they embody what they hope to accomplish during the upcoming year, who they want to become. And then there are the rest of us who are stuck in the middle. The ones who make resolutions year after year, only to forget about them a few months down the road. I plead guilty to falling into this category of hopeless resolution makers. But this year, I'm resolving (get it, resolving!) to stick to mine. Not for the sake of being able to say that I followed through with my New Year's Resolutions, but because I know that if I do, I'm going to be thanking myself later. Of course, one should always be working to improve and better themselves, but setting these goals and starting anew at the beginning of a new year, is so much more effective and it gives deeper meaning to the "new", in "New Year" A New Year grants everyone a fresh and clean slate and hands you opportunity (and lot's of it I may add, if you remember to keep your hands open). A New Year means another year older, means new perspectives, let's you leave what you wish to not remember in the past, leaving you with a new path to forge. The most important thing to do when making New Year's Resolutions is to make ones whose end effect will bring you one thing, happiness. Because the truth is, that's what a resolution should bring, and when you think about it, it sounds about right. So whether you hope to run a half marathon, or become more organized, always make sure to make your resolutions with your happiness as the final destination.
For now I leave you with my New Year's Resolutions along with few others. It's not too late to make yours!
For now I leave you with my New Year's Resolutions along with few others. It's not too late to make yours!
"To expand my artistic horizons."
-Alexis Fifield (9th) "Review my productivity in everything that I do in order to move things along faster and alter my creative behavior."
-Carlos Maldonado (10th) |
"Work out more and learn how to dunk." -Carlos Celis (12th)
"To have all A's for the rest of the semester and to be a better soccer and volleyball player." -Allie Monroy (9th)
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"Study well, be healthy, and to try my best in everything I do." -Wook In Hwang (10th)
"Be able to get into the JAB (Junior Advisory Board) of the IE (Instituto de Empresas) this April. To maintain my grades, to be healthy and continue being the way I am and finally to enjoy more time with my friends and the people that are precious to me." -Dario Fernandez (11th)
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"Have at least a 3.6 GPA or above and to gain my first national team cap." -Charles Hoffman (12th)
"Get fit."
-Daniel Kim and Sebastian Estrada (12th) |
"To try not to be clumsy."
-Evelyn Raaska (11th) 1. Drink more water.
2. Be healthy (physically and mentally). 3. Exercise more! 4. No procrastinating. 5. Think about college/future and start preparing. 6. Be optimistic. -Eun Biy Ko (11th) |
How to Stay Motivated
by: Eun Biy Ko
The beginning of a year is the time to move forward and set new goals. Almost everyone makes a long list of New Year’s resolutions and end up having a hard time following them. I bet you told yourself in the beginning of this year, ‘I’m not giving up this time, and I’m going to stick to every single resolution on this list.’ Eventually the spark of excitement and joy you felt on January 1st will wear off. Here are some tips to prevent that and help you reach your goals.
1. Set small, attainable goals. Many people set goals that are so big that are impossible to reach from where they are right now; these type of goals lead to failure. Instead, set small, realistic goals that are close to your current status quo. For example, if you are a person who doesn’t exercise at all but your goal is to be a fitter person, you can’t expect to turn to one overnight. The goal you should be setting is to exercise for 30 minutes a day for two times a week, and then you can work up and increase the amount you exercise as the time passes.
2. Write down your goals. Simply thinking about your resolutions in your head and not having a concrete list is not a good idea. Writing down your goals creates a stronger connection between you and your goals than when you only think about them.
3. Limit your resolutions to five. Don’t set a long list of promises to yourself that you are bound to break. Choosing five goals, or less, will force you to limit yourself and focus on your priority list.
4. Take baby steps. Rather than trying to exhaust yourself with several changes at once, break them down and focus on one resolution at a time. This way, all of your focus and attention will go to one goal.
5. Share your goals. Being with a group of positive people who have the same views as you, will help you be more confident and strong. You could join a workout group if your goal is to be fit, or join a book club if your goal is to read more. This will not only keep you motivated, but your resolution that was meant for only this year might turn to a long-term goal/hobby.
6. Keep reminders everywhere. An idea is to have your New Year’s resolutions as your wallpaper on your phone. Now, every time you look at your phone (which, let's be honest, is all the time) you will be reminded of your goals. You could also put it up on your bedroom wall where you can see it clearly. Being constantly reminded of your goals might help you stick to them.
1. Set small, attainable goals. Many people set goals that are so big that are impossible to reach from where they are right now; these type of goals lead to failure. Instead, set small, realistic goals that are close to your current status quo. For example, if you are a person who doesn’t exercise at all but your goal is to be a fitter person, you can’t expect to turn to one overnight. The goal you should be setting is to exercise for 30 minutes a day for two times a week, and then you can work up and increase the amount you exercise as the time passes.
2. Write down your goals. Simply thinking about your resolutions in your head and not having a concrete list is not a good idea. Writing down your goals creates a stronger connection between you and your goals than when you only think about them.
3. Limit your resolutions to five. Don’t set a long list of promises to yourself that you are bound to break. Choosing five goals, or less, will force you to limit yourself and focus on your priority list.
4. Take baby steps. Rather than trying to exhaust yourself with several changes at once, break them down and focus on one resolution at a time. This way, all of your focus and attention will go to one goal.
5. Share your goals. Being with a group of positive people who have the same views as you, will help you be more confident and strong. You could join a workout group if your goal is to be fit, or join a book club if your goal is to read more. This will not only keep you motivated, but your resolution that was meant for only this year might turn to a long-term goal/hobby.
6. Keep reminders everywhere. An idea is to have your New Year’s resolutions as your wallpaper on your phone. Now, every time you look at your phone (which, let's be honest, is all the time) you will be reminded of your goals. You could also put it up on your bedroom wall where you can see it clearly. Being constantly reminded of your goals might help you stick to them.
Getting Healthy
by: Olivia Benecke
2014 can FINALLY be the year that you make the change you swear you will every year. You know what I’m talking about: being healthier. It’s no secret that the road to being fit isn’t a smooth one, but fear not! Here are 14 easy tips and tricks you can use to make the process much, much easier.
Exercise:
Exercise:
- Don’t overdo it! For most of us…let’s face it, it’s been a while. However, the worst thing you can do is try to overcompensate for lost time. Do NOT strain yourselves or you will come to hate working out altogether. First, try following this beginner’s workout routine to create a plan you can actually stick with.
- Too busy to go to a gym? No worries! Here’s a 30 minute routine that sheds calories, right in your very own home. No more excuse making!
- Only have time in the morning? For a lot of us, finding the motivation to get out of bed early and working out is not an easy task. Make this easier by sleeping in your workout clothes. If you’re already dressed, you've eliminated half of the work and you have no reason to sleep this one in.
- Don’t let cardio discourage you. Running is undoubtedly one of the most physically strenuous tasks you can do, but also the most beneficial (of course). Don’t let that scare you! If you pace yourself, I promise you it will become easy. Just follow these 15 steps to becoming a runner.
- Too much homework? Don’t let that stop you! Download and listen to an audio book while you run instead of music. Don’t stop until you finish your chapter. You’ll finish your English homework and keep your mind off of the strain.
- Exercise while you watch television. TV is pretty much the ultimate source of distraction and procrastination. If you love it as much as me, you won’t want to cut it out of your life entirely. Enjoy your favorite programs while jogging in place, or do sit ups and pushups during commercial breaks. Every little bit helps!
- Invest in some proper workout clothes. Believe it or not, they matter. Tighter fitting clothes give you a sense of confidence and will make you feel so much more streamlined. The more athletic you feel, the better you will perform. You’ll actually look forward to wearing them and will feel so much better about yourself.
- Cut back on eating out. Anything you make yourself is more than likely to be healthier than anything you buy. Try limiting your outings to once a week.
- Roasted/grilled, not fried. This applies to everything: chicken fingers, French fries, fish, etc. Frying something is probably the WORST thing you could ever do to it, so don’t. Don’t panic; roasting or grilling will still give your food that flavorful crispiness.
- Go vegetarian once a week. Meat is by no means bad, but going veggie at least once a week will help you incorporate more vegetables into your diet.
- Veggies first! Try to eat all of the vegetables on your plate before you eat anything else. Fill up on the healthy stuff before you move on to the not-so-healthy foods. If you’re going to be full, it might as well be of veggies.
- Use smaller plates. Studies show that large plates make you think you have smaller amounts of food, while small plates will create the impression of bigger servings. The more you think you’re eating, the fuller you will be.
- Drink a glass of water before AND after every meal. It will fill you up, cutting down on your portion size, and increase your water intake, something we all need to do.
- STAY AWAY from processed snacks. Avoid all of that gross stuff that they’re packed with: fat, sugar, salt, artificial dyes, preservatives, etc. Even if what you make yourself has more calories, it’s guaranteed have a higher nutritional value. Plus, there's no wasteful packaging!
How Not to Procrastinate
by: Shreeja Bhattacharjee
If you are anything like me, you are plagued by the very serious and deadly case of...procrastination. When dealing with the thought of mountains of homework, your mind automatically decides that the best course of action to take, of course, is to not work. Excellent plan! I mean watching youtube videos till 2 in the morning is definitely the key to passing your math exam! Not. In any case, I believe the point has been made. As an experienced procrastinator, I have racked up some helpful tips to stop or decrease procrastination.
1) Break it down. This is actually incredibly helpful. Studies show that often procrastination is a coping mechanism to lots of work and stress. Your brain sees a pile of work, doesn’t know what to do, so it ‘runs away’ by distracting itself. This is where breaking it down helps. By breaking it down, your work changes into smaller and more manageable pieces. Instead of 20 pages to take notes on, think of it as 5 per hour (which is 1 page per 12 minutes). Our monsters are only as scary as we see them to be.
2) Make checklists. After doing step 1, implement this step. If you write up a checklist of everything you need to do (in small parts), when you finish an assignment, you get the satisfaction of scratching it out with your pen.
3) Work with someone else. This may or may not work for you. Some people find that working with others is distracting, while others find it more helpful. Be aware that it is vital to choose someone you know who will not distract you too much. It’s fine to have some fun in between, but make sure you don’t get off track. If meeting up in person is difficult, there is always Skype. Skyping helps as you can talk to someone while working, instead of having to waste time typing when you could be writing notes or doing math homework.
4) Tell others beforehand what you’re going to do so that you’re forced to do it in fear of mockery from your friends. The idea behind is that by telling someone else, if you don’t complete the work, they will ask why? Sometimes, these friends can also give you the needed push to get working.
5) Reward yourself. If you work right now, later you can play. Of course, if you are a procrastinator, your first thought is: why play later when you can play now? The reason being is that the dark cloud of stress looming around is gone. When you are watching TV shows instead of doing work, somewhere in the corner of your mind is a little cloud of anxiety about all the assignments you have to do. If you work and then play, playing becomes much more fun. There’s no longer the stress of work you have to complete, and instead you’re floating on cloud nine because you’ve just realized that you have no work to do.
Fun Facts:
-In this world there are four types of people-thrill seeking procrastinators, avoiders (also procrastinators, decisional procrastinators, and those who don’t procrastinate. So maybe that last type is a rare unicorn that I doubt exists, but onto the first 3.
-Thrill seekers wait till the last minute to do work because they seek the rush of finishing an assignment 1 minute before the deadline and getting an A.
-Avoiders (the name says it all) avoid work either due to fear of failure-they are the most common type of procrastinators. These people are sometimes actually perfectionists as well (they avoid work in fear they will not able to complete it perfectly). Sometimes, they fear what people think of them. If they try, and get a C, then it’s their lack of ability. However, if they don’t even try, then it can be blamed on the fact that they simply didn’t put in any effort.
-Decisional procrastinators. These people cannot make a decision, therefore absolving them of the responsibility for the outcome.
-Hopefully this was helpful. And for those people who are reading this instead of doing their work, think of Nike: Just Do It!
1) Break it down. This is actually incredibly helpful. Studies show that often procrastination is a coping mechanism to lots of work and stress. Your brain sees a pile of work, doesn’t know what to do, so it ‘runs away’ by distracting itself. This is where breaking it down helps. By breaking it down, your work changes into smaller and more manageable pieces. Instead of 20 pages to take notes on, think of it as 5 per hour (which is 1 page per 12 minutes). Our monsters are only as scary as we see them to be.
2) Make checklists. After doing step 1, implement this step. If you write up a checklist of everything you need to do (in small parts), when you finish an assignment, you get the satisfaction of scratching it out with your pen.
3) Work with someone else. This may or may not work for you. Some people find that working with others is distracting, while others find it more helpful. Be aware that it is vital to choose someone you know who will not distract you too much. It’s fine to have some fun in between, but make sure you don’t get off track. If meeting up in person is difficult, there is always Skype. Skyping helps as you can talk to someone while working, instead of having to waste time typing when you could be writing notes or doing math homework.
4) Tell others beforehand what you’re going to do so that you’re forced to do it in fear of mockery from your friends. The idea behind is that by telling someone else, if you don’t complete the work, they will ask why? Sometimes, these friends can also give you the needed push to get working.
5) Reward yourself. If you work right now, later you can play. Of course, if you are a procrastinator, your first thought is: why play later when you can play now? The reason being is that the dark cloud of stress looming around is gone. When you are watching TV shows instead of doing work, somewhere in the corner of your mind is a little cloud of anxiety about all the assignments you have to do. If you work and then play, playing becomes much more fun. There’s no longer the stress of work you have to complete, and instead you’re floating on cloud nine because you’ve just realized that you have no work to do.
Fun Facts:
-In this world there are four types of people-thrill seeking procrastinators, avoiders (also procrastinators, decisional procrastinators, and those who don’t procrastinate. So maybe that last type is a rare unicorn that I doubt exists, but onto the first 3.
-Thrill seekers wait till the last minute to do work because they seek the rush of finishing an assignment 1 minute before the deadline and getting an A.
-Avoiders (the name says it all) avoid work either due to fear of failure-they are the most common type of procrastinators. These people are sometimes actually perfectionists as well (they avoid work in fear they will not able to complete it perfectly). Sometimes, they fear what people think of them. If they try, and get a C, then it’s their lack of ability. However, if they don’t even try, then it can be blamed on the fact that they simply didn’t put in any effort.
-Decisional procrastinators. These people cannot make a decision, therefore absolving them of the responsibility for the outcome.
-Hopefully this was helpful. And for those people who are reading this instead of doing their work, think of Nike: Just Do It!