You asked:

I made a bunch of new year’s resolutions with good intentions, but so far I haven’t stuck to a single one. Any ideas for how I can get back on track?

It’s hard to make a bunch of changes at one time or on some huge goal that seems unattainable. Choose one reasonable and obtainable goal at a time, and work on that goal alone. Once you’ve achieved that, move on to the next. Set yourself up for success with these steps:

• Think about why you chose this resolution. Don’t just say you want to lose weight or to stop smoking. Why do you want to reach your goal? Come up with a goal statement (e.g., “I want to lose weight to improve my health and feel good in a bikini for the summer”).
• Have a game plan. Figure out what you need to do to meet your goal. Are there resources on campus that can help you? Check out places like the counseling center, student gyms, health promotion offices, tutoring centers and student organizations to help you organize and promote your plan of action.
• Set up a support system. Let people around you know that you are making a change. That way, you know they’ll call you out if you veer off track. Don’t limit your support group to your roommate -- ask other friends who you know will ask how you are coming along.
• Take baby steps. Make smaller goals within your main goal. If you want to lose 15 pounds, give yourself a pat on the back every time you lose 3 pounds. Reward yourself, and you’ll want to keep working toward your bigger goal.
• Track your progress. Make a blog, keep a diary, take photos, or do whatever you can to record the process of reaching your goal. When you get frustrated, you can look back to see how far you have come and how successful you’ve been.
• Don’t stop there! Plan how you can maintain your resolution after you’ve reached the main goal. If you’ve quit smoking, what are you going to do to make sure you don’t pick up another cigarette? Develop a plan you know you can maintain.

Name: Sarah Arsenoff
School: UNC Wilmington
Year: Senior
Major: Marine Biology
Her Deal: This is Sarah's third year as an R.A. for freshmen and international students. She writes for Periplus, a university newsletter for students who, like her, are in the honors scholars program.

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