New Year Resolutions: grad school edition

[gliaful]

New Year Resolutions! Perhaps cheesy, perhaps so cheesy that they grow a little mold and disintegrate after 2 weeks, but whatever. I'm making resolutions almost 10 days late and I want to hear yours.

 

By the end of 2015, I plan to be living in a new city starting a new chapter of my life.

So, in line with that, I'm resolving to speak up more. I'm a shy person and I often don't ask for help when I need it -- I just get stressed out and internalize that stress. Also, I'm excited to get to meet so many future students at these interviews I'm going to (first one is in 19 days, AHHH!) and I want to make the most of it. I go to a barely-known state commuter school that essentially functions as a community college and I haven't really had the opportunity (or maybe I haven't put forth the effort) to meet people with similar interests and ambitions. I am excited to meet these elusive people both during interviews and also when (if?) I start grad school.

I also got this rad cookbook as a gift recently and I'm going to set aside time to cook something new each week. So far, so good.

 

Does anyone still make New Year Resolutions? If so, what are yours?

Edited January 10, 2015 by pasteltomato

[maelia8]

I made some New Years' resolutions for this year, several of which I've already managed to get on the path the achieving:

 

1) force myself to participate in physical activity by signing up for a martial arts class that meets three days a week and paying for a semester's worth of classes in advance. I go to free yoga and Pilates at the university gym once in a while, but since you don't have to sign up in advance or pay, I have a really hard time making myself actually attend on a regular basis.

 

2) put 10% of my income in a retirement IRA. I just opened the IRA and put in the initial deposit on Friday.

 

3) make (small) travel goals for school vacation periods and save up the money I need to go there (for example, skiiing in another part of the state or going to a fan convention)

 

4) volunteer at least once in a while

 

5) actually complete some of the craft projects I start, like knitting a hat for example

 

6) break some bad habits caused by nervous fingers (such as picking at hangnails or pulling at the seams on my shirt). Anyone have some advice on this? I'm not sure how to start.

 

7) get a low-stress part-time job to make a little bit of extra money on the side of grad school

 

8) stop settling for crappy living situations just because they are cheap or convenient

[grad_wannabe]

I resolve to pay down my credit card debt as much as possible in the next six months, just in case I get into a program and have to kiss this 40-hour paycheck goodbye. 

 

I resolve to actually finish some of the 15+ books I've started in the last month.

Edited January 12, 2015 by grad_wannabe

[Enhydra]

I made some goals for the year (and working on these has been the only thing keeping me sane while waiting to hear back on my applications...). I've been doing well on most of them!

 

1. Draw something every day. I started on the first and have so far kept this going. I picked up a couple books with drawing exercises and have been working my way through. Hopefully I'll see some strong progress by the end of the year (this is likely considering how dismal my drawing skills are now).

 

2. Complete the Duolingo language trees in Spanish and Swedish. I chose this so I could have an easily measurable, concrete goal as I work towards fluency in each of the languages, although I'm using other resources beyond the duolingo app. So far, so good.

 

3. Eat dessert once a week. Check! So far...

 

4. At least 30 minutes of intense physical activity 3 days a week. This has been hard to do, as I typically am motivated by classes and can't afford to sign up for any right now. But I'm hoping to get back on track this week.

[eeee1923]

I just have a few simple goals so far:

 

1. Successfully finish writing up my Master's thesis and defend it

2. Submit my manuscript for publication (and it being accepted)

3. Relax a bit this summer

4. Start my PhD program in an excellent program that fits my career goals

[booksnlooks]

My goal is to be a better friend. I have a bad habit of putting blinders on and, given that my University Town isn't my hometown, I suck at keeping in touch with my close friends from home. I'd like to focus on nurturing the friendships I do have because I've been lucky enough to make friends with some fantastic people.

[ashiepoo72]

I second paying down credit card debt.

 

I want to be more efficient in my "time wasting." Instead of getting distracted while doing my work and hopping on YouTube for an hour or two, I'm trying to schedule mental health breaks after reasonable amounts of time working. I tend to be hard on myself for taking any breaks, so I think it'll be better if I accept that I need them instead of having impromptu ones that waste so much time.

 

I also would like to spend more time being present with family and friends, not so consumed by my work. It's hard, because it seems like everywhere I go, no matter who I'm with, some conversation, thought or moment sparks intellectual questions that bring me back to my research or potential research. I don't know how to shut it down, and I'm not ashamed to say I'd like to sometimes!

[LittleDarlings]

Get a bf, maybe be engaged... Geert pregnant. The rest I could care less about

[LilithWntDwn2TN]

Last year, I resolved to try to get something published and apply to PhD programs. I did it and am exhausted. This year, I'm going to focus on doing facial exercises to get rid of that saggy skin under my chin.

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

Get a bf, maybe be engaged... Geert pregnant. The rest I could care less about

 

You want a guy to get you pregnant with no regard for what he wants. Do you realize how selfish that is?

[ashiepoo72]

Chiki--I WAS going to say that it's also a bad situation for a child that comes from such a selfish union, but I think it's best if we don't feed the troll

[LittleDarlings]

You want a guy to get you pregnant with no regard for what he wants. Do you realize how selfish that is?

Ummm if someone is irresponsible enough to not protect themselves and a baby happens then that is both of their faults and it isn't selfish as far as I'm concerned.  Also I know a ton of people it happened to and they are happy, engaged/married couples.  I am an adult I don't need your permission or approval that you very much.. Just saying   

Edited January 22, 2015 by LittleDarlings

[aojfifjoaisjaiosdj]

Ummm if someone is irresponsible enough to not protect themselves and a baby happens then that is both of their faults and it isn't selfish as far as I'm concerned.  Also I know a ton of people it happened to and they are happy, engaged/married couples.  I am an adult I don't need your permission or approval that you very much.. Just saying   

 

I'll take the advice of the previous post and not state the obvious.

[LittleDarlings]

I'll take the advice of the previous post and not state the obvious.

You really shouldn't have said anything to begin with. It's not your business. It is my goal and that's that.

Edited January 22, 2015 by LittleDarlings

[fuzzylogician]

Alright, both of you stop. 

[FoggyAnhinga]

Probably my biggest resolution is to eat healthier (I do eat healthy for the most part, but I can always do better). Another huge resolution is to use my time effectively, which means even if I am done with all the school/lab work I needed to accomplish for the week, don't use the remaining free time just to chill or relax and watch movies in the apartment (I will admit, sometimes it's kinda nice not doing anything for a few hrs or even a day haha), but instead use that time to go sightseeing on short trips, play my violin (as long as it doesn't annoy my neighbors), and maybe join a local chorus group.