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By Sophia Penrose
Ins:
Quality time with your friends
Having a solid friendship with either a close friend or a large group can make all the difference to people of any age. Going to the movies, playing mini golf, having a sleepover, or even just sitting down and talking form connections that could last a lifetime.
Complimenting strangers
Being positive to the people around you does in turn come around at some point. Not even just complimenting people, but holding a door for someone or paying for the person behind you in line can spread positivity quickly. At the end of the day, being kind to one person can cause a chain reaction.
Diverse music taste
Pop, country, indie, folk, hip-hop, rap, classical, rock, heavy metal, Latin, salsa, jazz, R&B– dozens of different forms of music, ranging in instruments, vocal types, producing, and yet people judge others based on what music you listen to. Don’t let others influence your choice of music. Listen to whatever you want to!
Weeknight activities
Balancing your school/job life and your social life can be hard, so make the most out of the free time you have and hang out with friends on weeknights. Have dinner together, watch a movie, or even do homework together. Being able to spend quality time with the people who mean the most to you can change your outlook on a dreadful school week. Don’t let any time go to waste in 2024.
Doing what makes you happy
In 2024, we need to start prioritizing what makes us happy. Maybe deep cleaning your house, going to Panera, playing football, or simply lying down watching a movie makes you happy. Don’t let others ruin the niche hobbies that make you happiest. Follow your heart and live the life you want to live.
Being open and honest
Being indirect with people needs to be left in 2023. We need to start being open with the people around us and telling others our true thoughts. Closing off and lying to others only leads to negative outcomes. Say what is on your mind!
Celebrating the little things
Over the last couple of years, we have all had firsthand experience with very sudden and scary events (cough cough COVID). Paying attention to the positive things like passing your science test, your favorite music artist dropping a new album, or getting your permit can mean so much. Be proud of yourself and take pride in everything you have accomplished.
Outs:
Waiting till “later”
My generation especially seems to wait until the last minute to do everything. Although at times pressure can be a good thing, certain things shouldn't be done last minute, such as studying for a test, finishing up a project, and making a birthday card for a friend. Being able to complete tasks early will make you feel more productive and less stressed.
Doom scrolling
Yes, we all have days where our screen time is at an unreasonable amount, however, there are ways to be productive on devices like researching an interesting topic, chatting with friends, or completing schoolwork. Instead of wasting time scrolling on TikTok, make the most of your time online.
Late Bedtimes
Many teens go to bed between 10 pm and 1 am. Although our circadian rhythms are completely different from adults, due to the start time of school, students should be getting 6-8 hours of sleep. This means trying to get in bed before 10 pm. Creating a routine before bed can also help wind down our brains at the end of the day.
Overhyped social media trends
Over the past three years, there have always been popular trends, not just on TikTok but on all forms of social media. As a society, we pressure ourselves and others to fit in with “society's normal” and can feel that we have to change our entire lifestyle based on one video or trend. Going into the New Year we need to remember that we can’t be 15 people with different personalities, and it is always best to stick to your true self.
Being a hater
Being mean to classmates and even your own friends has become increasingly popular, and it truly needs to be stopped. Sometimes a silly joke that you casually say to a close friend comes off as harmless but can affect them more than you realize. Just remember to think about what you say before you say it.
Yucking people’s yums
Going along with the previous statement, making people feel bad about the things that they like can hurt others' feelings. Imagine that you really love a certain hobby and one of your friends starts to make fun of you about it. It would make you feel insecure and unable to be yourself. When you say negative things about someone, it can leave a bad impression of you in their mind.
Losing yourself in others
Ending off our “outs” for 2024, make sure that you create time for yourself amidst all the chaos of life. At points, we can lose ourselves in the world around us and our friends, and don’t check in with ourselves. Being happy with yourself leads to being happy with the life and people surrounding you.
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