With the new year looming, I’ve already seen one too many ‘New Year, New Me!’ posts on Facebook and Instagram.

Once upon a time I too bought into the naivety of New Year’s resolutions; the 6 months gym membership that was used twice (dad-bods are the new 6 packs anyway), giving up alcohol (I didn’t think it was possible for me to be any duller than usual) and the only one I ever actually stuck too, giving up smoking! Nevertheless, I always find myself dreaming of a new beginning around this time every year and with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of things I believe we all should try and shake off as we round the corner into 2019.

Procrastination:
Are my exams in less than a month’s time? Yes! Am I behind on revision? You better believe it!
Most if not all of us are guilty of kicking the can down the road when it comes to getting things done. We’ll get to it eventually, but not before a lot of unnecessary stressing, comfort eating and all-nighters which could have been avoided if we began revising even a couple of weeks earlier. My new motto is ‘stop thinking, start doing’. Even a little progress each day amounts to vast material over the course of a week or month. When I think of the amount of time I’ve wasted this past semester, I regret putting things off until the last minute and I find myself asking, ‘ did I really need to arrange my halls DVD collection in alphabetical order, according to genre?’, probably not mate.

Are you going to make a New Year’s Resolution? #NewYearNewYou #NewYearsResolution

— OpinionPanel (@OpinionPanelC) December 20, 2018

Gossiping:
Don’t get me wrong, I want to know who was seen creeping out of who’s room at 6am last Tuesday morning as much as the next person, but why? It’s not going to impact my life in any way, shape or form. Although for the most part innocent, campus gossip can sometimes get out of hand and make the subjects feel needlessly uncomfortable or anxious. Think back to the last rumour you heard about yourself. Even though it was most likely pure fiction it probably wasn’t pleasant to hear. Take it from somebody that’s sat on both sides of the bench, we’d all benefit from concentrating a little less on other people’s lives and a little more on our own.

Intolerance:
It’s hard to believe that as we face into 2019 this one is still an issue. We have to remember that the world is one big melting-pot, full of different people, from different places with different identities. Are you going to agree with the lifestyle or views of everyone you meet? Definitely not. Do you still have to respect them? Absolutely. The older I get the more I realise that I’m similar to other people in countless ways, even the ones that once appeared alien to me. Listen to others points of view, even if you don’t agree with them. Speak to somebody for long enough and you too will soon realise that more things connect you than separate you.

Predictability:
As humans we’re creatures of habit. We tend to like the same food from the same restaurant or the same seat in the lecture hall. In order to grow, boundaries that have often been inadvertently established must be crossed without hesitation. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and into the world around you where there is so much waiting to be discovered. Go to that party, sign up for a year studying abroad, say yes to that opportunity you were offered! Don’t get stuck in a rut, the time is now and I think you’ll agree, its passing all too quickly. Make 2019 your year.