Happy New Year! A new year is synonymous with a fresh start; many people create goals, vision boards and resolutions for the new year. It is easy to create unrealistic goals that are almost impossible to complete and people may quickly lose motivation to fulfill them. It is still important, however, to set goals for yourself and challenge yourself, which is why we created a list of some New Year’s resolutions you can actually keep!

1. Be More Organized

To keep ourselves mentally healthy, it is vital that we stay organized throughout our lives. Throughout our academic and professional lives, we face an endless number of tasks to complete. This year, write to-do lists to make sure you are keeping up with your responsibilities and not forgetting anything or leaving it for the last minute. Calendars and planners are great organizational tools to stay as organized as possible.

Sometimes we may also feel overwhelmed when we see unorganized stacks of papers on our desks. Not only is it unsightly, but it makes it very difficult to find what you need. A great solution is to invest in a file cabinet or file sorter. These keep your work area clean and organized and make finding what you need so much easier.

2. Keep a Journal

A journal can be a great way to dump your thoughts onto paper. When life gets a little overwhelming,  our minds are often cluttered with a multitude of thoughts and emotions that can cause anxiety and stress. Keeping a journal allows you to pour your thoughts out into it and get a much-needed release. You can keep track of your life and then you can go back and read all the precious moments that you have experienced. Try out bullet journaling too! It is a dotted journal that blends journaling, planning and art. Instead of having a pre-decorated and designed planner you get the chance to make it your own, which motivates you to be more organized.

“Bullet journaling is a very helpful way to organize your life and be creative at the same time,” junior Estelle Erwich said.

3. Expand your Vocabulary

An excellent New Years resolution is to expand your vocabulary. This is extremely beneficial for strengthening your school papers and impressing interviewers. You can expand your vocabulary by reading magazines, newspapers, novels, poetry and any other literary work. You can use Merriam-Webster’s word of the day subscription to expand your vocabulary and vocabulary.com, which quizzes you on words of different difficulty levels. You can also try out the app, Magoosh Vocabulary Builder, that guides you through various vocabulary sets.

4. Step out of your Comfort Zone

Terry Crews once said, “Once you push yourself into something new, a whole new world of opportunities opens up.” If you are stuck in your comfort zone, you are not practicing your full potential. This means that you are capable of more than you think! If you have a certain talent that you have always wanted to show the world, do it! Maybe participate in a talent show and sing your heart out, or join the dance group at school. Set the goal this year to take a risk in order to open up the doors to many opportunities that are available to you.

Feel free to add your own personalized goals to your own New Year’s Resolution, and look back on it frequently throughout the year. Make sure you are setting challenging but realistic goals for yourself. If you are truly dedicated, you can check anything off your list of resolutions.