With the start of 2023 behind us, most of us are probably struggling to stick to our resolutions we made for the new year. Whether you want to exercise more, eat healthier, spend more time with friends, become more involved on campus or even study more, finding out how to incorporate these positive changes into your lifestyle can be quite the challenge. Thankfully, UA’s Division of Student Life is packed with resources to help you accomplish your goals. Check out these tips and departments that can help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions all year!
Quick Tips
One of the first and most important steps to take in this journey is to make your goal(s) measurable. Measuring your progress shows how much momentum you’ve made and how much you have left to go. Conquering smaller tasks makes bigger goals easier to overcome. Another important step is to learn from your mistakes. It’s easy to give up on something when it feels like you repeatedly fail at it, but it can be worth it to stick it out and figure out what’s happening.
Physical Health
UA’s Division of Student Life offers several different resources to help you conquer any challenge that comes your way! If your New Year’s resolution is to be more physically active, then University Recreation’s Student Recreation Center is the perfect place for you. Its doors are open seven days a week with several classes, special equipment, reservable rooms and dozens of different machines and equipment that you can use to your heart’s content in your fitness journey. Additionally, you can visit UREC’s Aquatic Center with a 50-meter Olympic pool to add some variety to your exercises! All main campus UA students enrolled in five credit hours or more can visit the Student Recreation Center and other UREC facilities free of charge. For more information about UREC’s membership program, see the membership page on UREC website.
Mental and Emotional Health
Our mental health is just as important is just as important as our physical health, but it can be even more confusing to maintain. Fortunately, the Counseling Center offers a plethora of services, resources, support groups, programs and training events throughout the year designed to help UA students achieve academic success and personal growth. They also feature year-round outreach programs related to emotional health and student success, such as the Brain Matters weekly radio talk show or the Mind Matters workshop that tackles different struggles that students face. With 23 licensed clinicians, the staff at the Counseling Center is more than capable of assisting anyone in need of their help. For the Fall 2022 semester, the average wait time to get a screening appointment was just seven days. Same-day consultations are available daily and crisis intervention resources, both during and after hours, are available for students experiencing a mental health emergency. To talk with a counselor or set an appointment, call 205-348-3863. For more information about the Counseling Center, visit the FAQ page.
The Department of Health Promotion and Wellness also provides various resources for students. You can access information through their website on how to maintain your physical and emotional health, cultivate financial literacy and practice work-life balance. You can even request an in-person presentation for a class, organizational meeting or campus event.
Getting Involved
If you’re looking to become more involved on campus for your New Year’s resolution, then look no further than The SOURCE. The SOURCE connects students to organizations on campus, provides resources and support to organizations and hosts events throughout the academic year to highlight involvement opportunities. The SOURCE also oversees mySOURCE, a digital database for all student organizations at UA. Check out The SOURCE’s involvement page for more ways to maximize your student experience at the Capstone!
Career Development
Some people think of their career when creating their New Year’s resolution. Developing and enhancing your skills and relationships is a wonderful way to maximize your career-planning. Thankfully, the Career Center works with students as they explore different possibilities, grow their skills and make connections related to their professional endeavors. Through the Career Center, students can improve their resume, formulate cover letters, practice interviewing, develop a career plan and more. They even offer resources to UA students and alumni aiming to further improve their professional skills.
Try Your Best!
Whatever your New Year’s resolution for 2023 may be, UA’s Division of Student Life is committed to helping you achieve it. Whether you aim to improve your physical or mental health or you want to develop professional skills for your future career, the Division and its departments want you to succeed. We wish you the best of luck in achieving your 2023 New Year’s resolutions!