Resolutions for Next Semester (Again)
At the end of spring semester, I was feeling pretty good about life, but I was confident that I could make this fall semester even better. I was terribly wrong, and this fall ranks pretty low in my book now. Which strangely makes me optimistic again that I can improve my lot in life if I make some resolutions. So without further ado, my resolutions for the new year.
1. Exercise more. This time I mean it. I’m going to do twenty pushups before bed every day. I’m going to make swimming part of my routine and stick to it all semester, even if I have a ton of work. I can’t afford to be a frail shell of a man anymore.
2. Get out. I’ve been worrying about this for some time, and now that I’ve lost my main (only, really) emotional support, I can’t afford to stay in solitude, which is my tendency. I have a lot of social anxiety to overcome. But I’m feeling okay about this right now, because several of my friends have surprised me this week by reaching out to me. Thank you all so much, I feel I could never repay your kindness. I look forward to seeing you all in the spring.
3. Move on in life. I am terrified that I will go back to my old habits. I don’t want to get into another cycle of depression and anxiety. I need to rebuild my life in such a way that I will be happy. I don’t really know what that means yet, or how to accomplish it. I’m particularly bad at the latter. I had a thought yesterday: is there a way to shamelessly ask all of your friends to set you up, and still retain your dignity? And if not, which one is preferable?
4. Figure out the future. January research with Loose is a big start in helping me decide whether I want to do honors in neuroscience next year, whether I want to go to graduate school, and what kind of programs I should apply to. This semester involved exploring a lot of things that interested me, but mostly were not neuroscience. This spring is when I need to start thinking tangibly about the future. I had a good time looking at graduate schools in cognitive sciences the other day, so I’m looking forward to this endeavor.
5. Keep my room clean. This one should be a lot easier than it was this semester. I sometimes fail to admit it, but having an uncluttered space gives me peace of mind. I should just accept that fact, bite the bullet, and devote more energy to keeping my room tidy.
6. Mend fences. This is the one that worries me the most right now. I have a little woodshop experience dating back to sixth grade, but I’m not a carpenter by any stretch of the imagination. Right now, I’m just waiting for someone else to share their expert opinion, and until then I’m at an impasse. It’s no fun. I don’t think I’m cut out for manual labor.
