The 27 Best New Year`s Resolutions Ideas for Students

Struggling to find a new year’s resolution that appeals to you? Here are 27 NY resolutions to give you some much needed inspo.

We’ve put together a list of some of the most popular (and achievable) resolutions to help you get 2021 off to the start you all deserve 🏆

Learn to drive

Still relying on your friends or parents for lifts? Or are you Uber's number 1 customer? In 2021, it's time to book some lessons and finally learn to drive. Who knows, you might just be a natural! 🚗

Embrace mindfulness 

Begin your transition from student to zen master by practicing mindfulness daily. The HeadSpace app is a great place to start, and there are many mindfulness podcasts that offer guided meditations. 🙏

Practice yoga

If you missed out on the yoga revolution of 2020, 2021 might just be the year for you. There are countless online yoga courses on YouTube which can take you from beginner to master over the course of the year. 🧘

Be more charitable

We aren’t expecting you to become the next Captain Tom, but every little helps. Do a sponsored run, host a charity concert, or volunteer at a local charity. 💸

Take up a new sport

Kick off 2021 by joining a sports club. The sporting world is a vibrant community that can help you get fit while making new friends. If you prefer a solo mission, get in the zone and try practicing an individual sport like golf, cycling or running. 🚴

Learn an instrument

A New Year’s resolution as old as time, learning an instrument is a permanent fixture on most people’s bucket list. Guitar is a great place to start for beginners, and there are more than a handful of apps or videos to aid in lockdown learning. Just remember to stick with it - Rome wasn’t built in a day! 🎸

Order less takeouts

It's always tempting to tap a few buttons on your phone and have a delicious fresh meal arrive on your doorstep. Takeout meals are typically unhealthier than home cooked food and cost much more. In 2021, become a virtuoso in the kitchen and live a healthier, wealthier life. You don’t have to be Nigella to knock up a simple and healthy meal! 🍲

Attend all your lectures

We know this one is a little boring, but it's essential to attaining the grades you want when you finish your time at university. Even if you don’t attend them all in person, we can’t stress enough how important it is to catch up on any material missed! 🎓

Join the gym

Maybe the most popular New Year’s resolution is joining the gym. We all dream of building fitness and strength in the winter months, but the real key to fulfilling this resolution is building a permanent lifestyle change rather than hitting a fitness “goal” in time for summer.  🏋️

Find a new hobby

Ultimate frisbee? Radio broadcasting? Knitting? If none of these take your fancy, there are literally thousands of hobbies that may help define your 2021 and give you new skills that may increase your employability after university. 🤹‍♀‍

Stop smoking

Smoking is a bad habit that’s hard to stop, especially when the stress starts mounting. With new year just around the corner, there is no better time to quit than the present. Giving up smoking is not easy, especially in a student environment - but the long-term benefits to your health cannot be understated. 🚭 

Go vegetarian

This year, give up the bacon sarnies, fried chicken and beef burgers and explore the flavourverse of vegetarianism. There are many health benefits to vegetarianism, and it also plays a small part in helping move our planet to a more sustainable and green future.🌎

Go vegan

If going veggie is too simple a resolution, or you’re already there, embrace hard mode and go full vegan. Going “plant powered” is a growing trend with more and more professional athletes adopting this lifestyle choice! 🥦

Learn a language

Jealous of those people who put in hundreds of hours learning a language in lockdown? Now it's your turn! Learning a language is no longer a chore - there are many excellent apps available on your phone that can get you speaking fluently for free. 📚

Run a 5k, 10k or further

If your fitness regime has regressed to trips to the fridge and walks to the bin, kick start your 2021 with a couch to 5k fitness regime. Once you complete your first 5k, you can begin further strengthening until you start conquering fitness goals throughout 2021.🏃

Become a master baker

Okay, so this maybe goes against the health resolutions, but who doesn’t dream of being a pro baker? Been watching the Great British Bake Off and feel like flexing your culinary muscles? Launch in with a Victoria sponge, then impress your friends and family next Christmas with a festive baking marvel. 🍰

Start your own business

Got a business idea you think you can launch from your dorm room? There has never been a better time to start a side hustle! Turn a hobby into a source of income and have fun while topping up your student loan! 💪

Wake up earlier

This one is easier said than done, but you will notice a huge difference to your productivity by waking up even an hour earlier than you normally would. Try leaving your phone on the other side of the room so you can’t smack the snooze button when the alarm goes off. ⏰

Get more sleep

There are very few things on planet earth that have better health benefits than getting the necessary amount of rest that your body craves.  🛌

Say NO to fast fashion

Fast fashion is expensive, bad for the environment and is steeped in questionable practices. Do your part by buying from retro stores, charity shops and buying online via Depop or Ebay. 👜

Get a job

Whether you have ambitious plans for 2021, or simply want some more money in your back pocket, getting a job helps you learn new skills, make new friends and helps you to top up your finances. 🧑‍💼

Less screen time

Everybody wants to have less screen time, but the student lifestyle doesn’t often allow for it. Take baby steps like not looking at your phone after a certain time - you’ll sleep better for it!

Try something new every month

Don’t want to commit to a resolution for the entire year? Commit to trying a different hobby, activity or lifestyle every month instead. Go vegan for January, play chess in February and maybe pick up baking in March - a true resolution for the indecisive. 📆

Do something that terrifies you

Human beings grow when they are pushed out of their comfort zone. If you have a fear of heights - how about skydiving or bungee jumping? Got a fear of commitment? Go on more dates! 🧗‍♀‍

Learn to code

Programming is the future, and nobody wants to be left behind. If you think your computer programming skills need a touch up - learn to code in 2021. It sounds daunting, but there are plenty of apps that can help you to get started with the basics. 👨‍💻

See more of the world

This year has been incredibly testing for those with rampant wanderlust, and we’re crossing our fingers that 2021 will be the year we can all go global once more. ✈️

Forget about 2020

2020 has been one of the worst years ever. Human beings are social creatures and being separated from each other has been a monumental challenge. If you're stuck for a resolution you think might stick - how about trying your best to forget about 2020?