Now that we’re well past the halfway point of the semester, do you find your life is not as organized as it was back in August? Maybe you missed a homework assignment, haven’t washed your sheets in a while (gross but true – and common!) or were forced to miss a club meeting or two. Don’t worry, Valley has compiled a list of some of the most common good-habits-gone-bad and ways to counter them!
With the stress of studying for exams, extracurricular commitments and personal life, it’s no wonder that sometimes sacrifices have to be made so that you can finish what is most important. Junior, communication sciences and disorders major Hilary Lee knows exactly what it’s like to start off the semester strong, and slowly lose momentum.
“Unexpected meetings crop up and teachers throw in curve ball assignments
and we are forced to choose what is most important,” she says.
Well fear no more! Here is a list of some of the most common bad habits that creep up mid-semester and the best ways to fix them:
1. Unwashed bed sheets and a load of laundry that keeps piling up
Remedy: Set aside one day of the week that will be your “laundry day.” If you commit, you’ll only have one small weekly load of laundry to wash rather than multiple heavy loads every couple of weeks. More loads, more time!
2. Missed club meetings and extracurricular commitments
Remedy: We all know how difficult it may be to keep yourself from being so involved when Penn State has endless activities, but try to limit your extracurricular activities to two. It’s better to excel at a few things then do
poorly at a bunch.
3. Missed homework assignments
Remedy: Yes, we all have at least one slip-up during our college years. Whether because it’s a last minute assignment or we just simply forgot, there always seems to be one assignment that slides through the cracks. How to solve this? Buy a planner! It’s never too late. You can find them all over downtown and for a couple of bucks, you’ll have a great way to keep your life organized. The catch: you actually have to write everything down.
4. New Year’s gym resolution once again a failure
Remedy: We all do it. Every year, as we watch the big ball drop, we promise ourselves that we are going to commit to going to the gym but eventually, that ambition dwindles. However, it’s not about getting to the gym, it’s about getting the work-out. Opt for walking rather than taking the bus and as always, eat healthy. Cramped schedule? Try to carve out 20 minutes everyday that you can exercise at home. Buy workout videos like P90X or Insanity that give you a great at-home workout without taking up a huge chunk of your time of getting to and from the gym.
“It’s important to treasure the simple things. Sometimes, it feels better to sit down and chat with a friend while you eat lunch, instead of scarfing down food alone. The work will never end, but good company is hard to find,” Lee says.
Photo by Rhiannon Hedrick
