Written by: Jude Bokovoy 

2023 may mean many different things to people. This could be your graduation year, the year one gets their first apartment, or any other milestone, however, it can also bring a lot of uncertainty. Start the new year on a high note with these helpful tips below. 

Clear one’s mindset — Whether it’s core values, passions or aspirations — focus on what is important. Three ways that can help one get into a clear headspace is through meditation, prayer or brainstorming.

Get organized — This can be a key component of staying on track and motivated to pursue each day with confidence. Having a planner can help one stay on top of tasks throughout the week while adding unexpected agendas. Getting into a routine is also a great way to get back into the swing of a busy schedule.

Make plans — Get out there. Keep up with relationships by setting aside time to do activities with the people that mean the most to you. This could be as simple as going to a Western home game or as adventurous as taking a trip.

Have the conversations one’s been putting off — At times it can be difficult to start a serious conversation, especially one that has been cast aside. It is important for oneself and the people involved to know what’s truly going on. Whether it is standing up for oneself, starting a relationship or asking for a raise. Who knows? The other person may just be thinking the same thing. 

Do everything wholeheartedly — Narrowing down one’s schedule to their passions and needs can allow the opportunity to put their all into tasks. Putting one’s full effort into their schoolwork, job or sport can help gain achievements, open doors and exude more passion. 

Experiment with classes — There are so many different courses provided by Western. Some intriguing courses may fall outside of one’s major or minor requirements. Fear not, Western’s team of advisors do an excellent job at moving courses around to fit one’s desired outcomes. So take those classes and learn about areas of interest. The knowledge can easily be beneficial later on in life, and you may find a new academic passion.

Get on top of one’s degree tracks — Because Western allows independence when it comes to planning out one’s schedule, it can be easy to fall behind. This is why it is important to make sure one is taking the correct amount of courses each term to graduate according to their plan. Take prerequisites for required courses, take courses that apply to one’s desired career and experimental interests, as well as leaving room for light terms for one’s busy seasons outside of school. 

Set goals — When setting goals, make sure that they can be achieved independently. People may often rely on other people to reach their goals unknowingly. To avoid doing this, one can alter their goals from “win our next game” to “shoot seven three-pointers,” or “make more friends” to “put oneself out there” and so on. No goal is too big or  too small, all that matters is that it pushes one and gives one something to look forward to. 

Contact the author at howllifestyle@mail.wou.edu