Let’s face it, January is a tough month. Although December is equivalently cold and dark, the rosy glow and excitement of Christmas certainly makes it a lot more bearable. You’ve come back to uni in 2017 inevitably fatter, poorer, and stressed, hiding out in the Robbo, drowning in deadlines and revision. Why burden yourself with the pressure of ‘New year New me’, when clearly the person you were in December had a far better life than you in January? With the stress of exams, it is preordained that you will revert to your 2016 comforts (or maybe I am just weak-willed). As a firm believer of ‘you deserve it, treat yourself’, my resolution of No Chocolate 2017 was broken the first day I started revision for exams. As January will evidently forever remain a month of doom and gloom (at least during our time at Uni), why do we not call it a write-off and try again with those New Year’s Resolutions in February: Fresh February, if you will (or is that too cheesy?)
One of the most common resolutions I witnessed crash into complete failure last month was Dry January. In theory, life without alcohol seems refreshing and invigorating; no hangovers, no drunken embarrassments, a detox after Christmas by which you will be able to focus entirely on your exams. But the first hurdle comes when your housemates and friends return after the Christmas break, and ‘one drink’ inevitably ends up with you all in Sinners’ Cage. The FOMO and temptations just become greater and greater as January progresses, with the cheap drink deals on Osborne Road, End of Exams celebrations, trebles and RAG week, I’m ashamed to say I don’t know a single person who managed to succeed at Dry January. So, why not attempt, or re-attempt, this resolution in February. This way, you will always be fresh for those 9ams and start the new semester the right way.
Every year without fail, the majority of people go for the ‘bikini bod’ resolution, “I want to be skinny for 2017”. They promise themselves they will be the person that only drinks green stuff and gets up at 6am every morning to go for runs.
But, if you are anything like me, fifty percent of my presents were edible, and when I came back to uni, my little room was filled with all my favourite food. The gym is overcrowded, but it is too dark and cold to run outside. I’m bored and stressed, and so the last thing I’m craving after a long day at the Robbo is a salad. Why burden yourself with the extra pressure of having the worry of the gym and healthy eating on top of the stress of exams? Everyone is living in pyjamas throughout January anyway, and so it is far better to wait until after the exam period to have a complete detox when you actually are able to make the time to improve yourself.
