2020 was a difficult year for everyone, which is why we’re more excited than ever for a fresh start in 2021. While all of our problems won’t go away overnight, we have hope for a better and brighter new year.

You don’t need to have specific New Year’s resolutions to embrace the excitement of 2021, but if you’re like us, planning comes naturally and we feel more prepared when we have some guidelines in mind. Below, we’ve rounded up some 2021 New Year’s resolutions that you can actually keep!

Get a Fresh Start by Decluttering 

The new year is the perfect time for college students and young professionals to go through their belongings and get rid of anything that they no longer use. Clothing, school papers, and toiletries can pile up quickly and need to be cleared out at least once a year. Use the holiday time off work to get organized at home and throw away anything that doesn’t “spark joy,” as Marie Kondo would say.

Make a List of Realistic Goals

We’re over the setting of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions that will only last a week. Instead, think about setting goals that are actually reachable. College students and young professionals might consider cooking a new meal at least once a week, exercising at least two times a week, or planning a trip they’ve always wanted to take. This might also be the year you join a book club or make a point of doing a Zoom call with your family once a week. 

Review Your Finances

Another great goal for the new year is getting your finances in order. While it may seem daunting if you have student debt or other financial responsibilities, take a few hours to set a budget that makes sense and will help you increase your net worth in 2021. To get you started, sign up to use a popular budgeting app like PocketGuard or Mint.

Visualize and Manifest

If you have certain goals in mind, it helps to visualize exactly what attaining them will look like and how you are going to get there. A fun activity that can help you is to create a mood board with the things you would like to achieve in 2021. Use this to manifest positive outcomes in the new year and refer back to the board throughout the year if you start to lose sight of your goals. Never underestimate your own power!

Add Greenery to Your Space

If there’s one simple thing that can refresh your space, it’s a few plant buddies! Adding some greenery to your space is super simple, but it can actually make you feel more calm and happy at home.

Plus, plants are beautiful and fun to take care of. Even if you don’t naturally have a green thumb, there are plenty of plants that will thrive with little interaction. You can also refresh your space completely for 2021 if you’re tired of looking at the same decor everyday.

Take a Self Care Day

This entire year has been challenging and you deserve to treat yourself kindly. Before you start 2021, take a self-care day to do whatever you enjoy most as long as it’s relaxing. Go for a hike, get a massage, take a bath, read a book...the list goes on and on. Do whatever makes you feel at ease for a whole day and make a promise to yourself to take that energy with you into the new year.

Start the New Year in a New City

Moving to a new city in the new year? Consider co-living with Tripalink for affordable living options for college students and young professionals. They have properties in LA, Irvine, Tucson, Seattle, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia.

Tripalink wants to support you through all your life changes in 2021, which is why they provide high-quality, furnished accommodations all over the country with amenities you can’t find anywhere else. With Tripalink, you get customized roommate matching, an included weekly cleaning service, a security system, and the use of shared living spaces with no hidden fees.