New Year, New Goals
By Olivia
Happy New Year, WIB! I hope everyone had a relaxing winter break. As we look towards all of the new opportunities that will present themselves this upcoming year, this time can also serve as a time of reflection. 2020 was…. rough (to say the least). Some lost their jobs, some cared for loved ones in the midst of the global pandemic we are in, and our country grappled with many social justice issues. That’s a lot to handle! Despite it feeling like six years long, 2020 has finally come to a close, and it is time to enjoy all of the good that is to come over the next year!
Some of my goals for the new year are as follows:
Live a healthier lifestyle.
During the pandemic, I fell into a lot of not-so-healthy habits, whether it was eating less healthy than usual, exercising less, etc. It looks as if this remote learning and work-from-home lifestyle is here to stay for some time, so one of my top goals this year is to get my health back in check! I am looking forward to learning how to cook new, healthy recipes (our fellow WIB member Olivia Porcello has an amazingggg Instagram food blog for her lovely culinary creations @livsmunches - follow her!), and finding new ways to incorporate exercise into my everyday life while attending classes and working remotely.
Reduce my media consumption (when necessary).
Clearly, 2020 was pretty overwhelming for many people. When something major is happening in the world, my go-to is to constantly sit glued to social media and the news on TV to stay informed. While it is important to stay up-to-date with current events and the rapidly changing world we live in, sometimes too much media can take a toll on us. One of my goals for 2021 is to stay informed, but know when it is time for me to take a step away from the news and social media and enjoy activities that make me feel calm.
Take advantage of all of the virtual resources available to us right now!
While COVID has been one of the toughest challenges our generation has ever faced and we are sacrificing so much to keep ourselves and our communities safe, there are some silver linings to the remote world we now live in. One thing I have seen a lot more of due to the circumstances is virtual webinars and events for young professionals online. Whether they are sponsored by a company, an organization, or UConn, these activities are a great way to learn more about various topics that you are interested in, and they are so convenient and readily available! Pre-COVID, these events were far less accessible due to physical logistics and sometimes hefty costs, but the large majority of these virtual events are free of charge and are super easy to access (most of the time you just have to click on a Zoom link!).
Slow down and enjoy this season of life.
Over the years, I have always been laser focused on what is to come: where will I work? Where will I live? When will I go to grad school? When will I start a family? Among other things, COVID has taught us that nothing is guaranteed, and sometimes life will throw things our way that we did not prepare for in our dream timeline. One of my main goals for 2021 is to focus more on the present, and where I am at this very moment. Although college is not how most of us anticipated it would be, I want to make a conscious effort to enjoy the things I can and to slow down. That internship / job offer / grad school will be there in a few years whether you planned it out or not, so I want to take a breath, and embrace the time that I have left at UConn - 2.5 years are going to fly by!
What are your goals for 2021? Share them in the comments below!
Comments