Freshers' pressure: Are drastic lifestyle changes before uni sustainable long-term?

Each September many of us feel the pressure to become the most idealised versions of ourselves. We move into our houses with pledges to change the way we eat, drink, dress and exercise. Yet, much like the resolutions we make at the start of the year many of these lifestyle changes will end up becoming week long endeavours. 

But why do we feel such a strong urge to change ourselves anyway? Studies show that the main reason why we strive for reinvention is for a sense of fulfilment and purpose. However, when it comes to uni I feel as if the changes we make to our lifestyles and appearances are heavily tied to expectations; particularly ones we have we have given ourselves. When I started first year I bought a gym membership that cost me well over £100; I had told myself that because I had moved away from home I need to become this new and a better person, both physically and mentally.  How many times did I use it you may ask? 8 times, and for probably no longer than an hour. I spent most of last year repeating that same behaviour, if I felt even remotely unproductive I’d get the excel spreadsheet out and schedule in a thousand and one events that I had no hope of completing in a day. And then when I didn’t get anything done I still felt as bad as I did before. 

I’d like to say going into second year that I’ve come up with a whole new effective plan to become healthier and more productive. However, I just know that the more I keep planning to change my lifestyle completely, the less chance I have of making any major difference to my life. For myself, a more sustainable way forward will most likely be to have small goals to complete each week, such as getting out of bed before 12 noon and actually going food shopping and in that way there’s less pressure on myself to be this perfect idealised version of myself and my life.