New Year, Somewhat New Me

Happy New Year, U of T! When New Year's comes around, I've never been one to make New Year's resolutions. I couldn't see the point, especially when I knew that I would inevitably give up after a week (at most). However, this year I feel like it's time for some change. I'm settled in my life as a student, having been in post-secondary school for almost 3 years now and the general school system for almost 17 years. That's a crazy thought. In particular, 2017 feels like a big year for me and I can't exactly pinpoint how to explain that yet. But I do have a few goals and I decided to not keep them immensely specific, such as "I will study 8 hours a day every day and get a 4.0." Instead, I encourage you to make non-specific goals because life is fluid, meaning that things are constantly changing and sometimes you need to just go with the flow. I have 2 major goals for 2017.

Figure out what happens next. Sorry, I know that sounds like an incredibly vague goal. To put this goal in context, in September, I'll be starting my fourth and final year here at U of T...and I have no concrete plans for what I'll be doing after graduation. This seems to be the consensus of many people I know because it's daunting to think of what you want to do in the so-called real world. For myself, I've never given it much thought. I knew I wanted to go to university and I knew I wanted that university to be U of T, but after that? No clue. Whether it's grad school, work (with some help from the Career Centre), or a gap year before pursuing anything, I need to figure out what my decision will be. That's why I left this goal as non-specific as it is because many things can happen, but I have to decide what I will pursue.

Create, create, create. Another widely vague and broad goal, but creating something can manifest itself in many forms. Whether it's painting, drawing, photography, creative writing, or building something, I want to create more. Between the constant state of my academic mind and other responsibilities, taking time to create something (anything!) will allow me to express myself. I'm often stuck in the academic part of my brain and story writing has been an inherent part of my identity that I want to get back to. This is especially important for me as organized academics will not always be a part of my life and being a creator, in some form, is something that is extremely important to me. U of T offers a variety of creative writing courses and clubs, so I think I'll delve into those further. Most importantly, if you do decide to pursue a New Year's resolution (however specific or non-specific it may be), tell someone. I've decided to tell all of you, so you can definitely hold me accountable for sticking to them through the comments section. I hope everyone has a productive and awesome term. If you've made a New Year's resolution, let me know in the comments section!