For the Love of Lists

Engineering life one step at a time

How to Make Life Feel More Like College

by

Sometimes I wish I could go back to college.  Yes, adult life is fine and dandy most of the time, but I miss the freedom and fun of college.  You get this feeling that you can learn anything, do anything, take on the world.  I think after settling into full-time jobs we start to let routine convince us that it’s not about the excitement anymore.  So if you’re missing your alma mater, check out some of these ideas on how you can make life more like college.

  • Continuous Learning
    • Open Courseware – Search online and you’ll find tons of (mostly) free courses you can take on your own time to learn nearly any subject.
    • Learning Apps – Duolingo, Memrise, and TED are just a few examples of apps that can teach you in minutes a day.
    • Library – Nothing beats walking into a room full of books knowing you can learn just about anything.
    • Night Courses – Check out your local colleges for certification or degree courses you can take part-time.
    • Summer Sessions – Colleges and professional associations offer summer and/or short courses that can advance your skills.
  • Clubs & Extracurricular Activities
    • Community Recreation – Check out local sports teams or classes you can join in your town/city.
    • Professional/Technical Associations – Many careers are represented by professional associations with local chapters that put on events.
    • Groupon/Living Social/Amazon Local (Discount Classes) – If you’re interested in trying out a new hobby, search out a good discount.
    • Local Fitness/Dance/Activity Centers – These classes aren’t just for kids; rally some friends and try something new.
    • Start a Club – Always wanted a book club?  What about a cooking club?  Send out word and see if other people share your interests.
    • Pursue a Hobby – Is there a hobby you’ve always wanted to try?  Set aside an hour or two a week and dedicate it to mastering a skill.
  • Dining Hall Buffet
    • Host an International Potluck – Invite friends to bring dishes representing different cultures for a fun party theme.
    • Search for Highly-Rated Local Buffets – Try to look past the age-old Chinese buffets and use Yelp to find a fun, casual dinner.
    • Search Out New Recipes – Recreate some old college favorites or try your hand at a dish you’ve always wanted to sample.
    • Go to a Brunch Buffet – The adult version of the dining hall, complete with food you’ll actually enjoy waking up for.
  • Social Groups
    • Start a Weekly/Monthly Social Gathering – Whether it’s a club or just for fun, schedule routine time with friends on a regular basis.
    • Keep a Running Group FB Conversation – If you’re far from your friends, set up a group chat where you can stay connected.
    • Start a Social Text for Weekend Planning – Found a festival to visit?  Spread the word quickly to your favorite friends group.
    • Attend Networking Events – Many professional associations host community networking events where you can meet those who share your career goals.

College Life

  • Advisors
    • Find a Mentor – Whether they’re from your company or elsewhere, make contact with someone and ask them to share expertise.
    • Professional/Technical Associations – These groups can help match you up with an experienced professional to offer advise.
    • Research SME Blogs – Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) are often found on popular blogs and can provide guidance and tips.
  • Campus Resources
    • Spend the Afternoon at a Park – If you’re missing lazy days hanging out on the Quad, try taking a book or frisbee to your local park.
    • Visit the Library – Yes, so important it’s on here twice.  Spend a quiet afternoon at the library to focus on your projects.
    • Set Up a Study Center – If you’re taking classes, create a study haven in your home by sectioning off a desk area and organizing it to your study habits.
    • Watch School Sporting Events – Do you wear your school colors every season?  Look for your team online or live and root for your alma mater.
  • Purpose & Goals
    • Look for Opportunities – In college, we see opportunities to do fun or advancing activities all the time.  Do your homework and brainstorm all of the opportunities you could take.  Leave nothing out – you never know when the timing will be right.
    • Write Down Your Life Plan – Maybe you had big goals in college.  Remind yourself of them by writing down your life plan from this point forward.  Be as broad or specific as you like, but be sure to start planning for your goals and taking action.
    • Allow Yourself to Dream – One of the things I miss most about college is the feeling that I could go on to do anything.  Recover that feeling by allowing yourself to picture your “dream life”: the “perfect” day, the dream job, the dream house, etc.  Use these visions to set goals to work towards.

There’s no reason we have to give up that freedom and spontaneity we felt when we were 20.  It’s just a matter of working the features that you enjoyed into your everyday life.

Why 12 Resolutions are Better than 1

by

Did you set a New Year’s Resolution this year?  An estimated 45% of Americans do, according to a University of Scranton study.  Yet only 8% are likely to achieve their goal by December 31st.  How is your progress towards your resolution this year?  Are you still trucking, or did you choose to celebrate “National Drop Your New Year’s Resolution Day” on January 17th?  Have you achieved your resolutions in the past?  If you’re among the majority struggling to meet your NYR, fear not!  I have a new strategy for you, and you can start it right now.

I’ve spent some time discerning the reasons that I’ve failed to meet my own goals in the past, and I’d bet you’ve experienced some of the same:

  • I set a REALLY vague goal (ex. save money)
  • I set goals because I thought they were the “right” ones to set (ex. lose weight)
  • I didn’t know where to start or how to accomplish it
  • I procrastinated because I had a whole year to work at it
  • I caved to immediate gratification (ex. “I’ll just work off the pizza later…”)
  • I got discouraged because I saw no progress

As to the first three issues, take a look at the top five most popular resolutions (do any look familiar?):

  1. Lose weight
  2. Get organized
  3. Spend less/save more
  4. Enjoy life to the fullest
  5. Stay fit and healthy

None of these can be considered “SMART” goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.  These qualities add the necessary definition to your goal.  Without it, you’ll never know if you’re truly successful or how to go about it.  For example, instead of “lose weight” state “Run for 30 minutes 3x/week to improve my health and lose 20lbs by Dec 31st”.  On top of that, if your only reason for setting the goal is because you think you should set it, you’ll have no motivation when you reach an obstacle.  You need to know WHY you want to reach your goal; purpose is what will keep pushing you forward.  Don’t set someone else’s goal – set one that will improve your life and make you happier.

While it’s easy to find resources on SMART goals and purpose, we’re still faced with a bigger issue: a year is too long.  A year is full of distractions and procrastination.  We need to change our perspective on resolutions: instead of setting one large goal, break it up into 12 smaller ones.  If we alter our perspective to include 12 “milestones” (one per month), then the deadline is always within our sights instead of being 365 days away.  The best part?  You get a new start each and every month.

Here’s how to do it (and stick to it):

  1. Decide your SMART goal and why you want to achieve it

Think: Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.  Ex. “I want to save $5,000 for a down payment on a car by December 31st”

  1. Choose your strategy

How you are going to do it: before you jump into your goal, do some research and create an action plan containing all of your resources/tools and steps you can take to make progress.  Ex. weight loss: nutrition plan, gym/home workouts, health/fitness blogs.

  1. Break up your goal into 12 action steps

Set yourself an achievable goal for each month that will bring your closer to your overall goal.  Your goals can be as small or large as you want, so long as they are achievable and will add up to your total objective.  Choices: Divide your overall goal by 12 or determine 12 actions you can take to reach it.  Ex. Health: lose 8lb/month by swapping fast food for home-cooked meals and lifting weights 3x/week.  Ex. Career: Jan – Research openings at 5 companies, Feb – Write 5 cover letters, Mar – Attend 2 networking events, etc.

  1. Decide how you’ll track your progress

It’s crucial to map your progress, even on the “bad” months.  When and how you measure it is up to you.  Just set reminders and don’t forget to write it down.  Ex. start of the month, end of the month, weekly; via journal, app, chart.

  1. Assign rewards for progress at each milestone (optional)

If you think it’ll help motivate you, setup a reward for each month you reach your milestone goal.  However, be sure not to choose a reward that detracts from your progress (i.e. no chocolate cake for losing your 8lbs).  Even better, assign rewards that motivate you towards your goal.  Ex. new workout gear, a new book, a massage.

  1. Decide how you’ll get back on track if you slip

Have a plan to deal with cravings, procrastination, or distractions.  This way, when the going gets tough you’ll be better prepared to handle it and get back on course.  Ex. If I don’t have time to get to the gym, I’ll do a workout video at home or go for a walk around the neighborhood.  If I splurge on a donut at work, I’ll add an extra workout over the weekend.

  1. Assess your support system

While vague resolutions are at the top of reasons why we fail, having a good support system is the #1 reason people can succeed.  Sharing your trials and successes with others not only holds you accountable, but it reminds you that others are rooting for you to succeed too.  Ex. family, friends, social media, blogs.

  1. Get started!

 Here are a few last important tips for you:

  • This is an iterative process – each month, evaluate your progress and decide what worked and what didn’t. Change it or improve it for the next month.
  • Don’t be discouraged – if you don’t meet your goal one month, don’t try to overcompensate and don’t lose hope. For example, my friend bases her next goal on the progress from the month before (if she only loses 6lbs in one month, her goal is 8lb less than that the next month).  It’s better to keep making some progress than to give up after pushing yourself too hard.
  • Don’t set too many goals at once – we have limited will power and are easily distracted. Set one main goal and divide it up into your milestones.
  • Set your own milestones – if a month-long milestone is still too much, try bi-weekly.
  • Don’t let yourself get bored – change up your strategy to keep you on your toes (ex. new workouts).
  • Don’t give up! – you get a new start every month, and every day.

Remember: we never would have reached the Moon if no one had put action steps and milestones to Kennedy’s words.

It’s not too late to restart or set your resolution for the year.  If you’ve got one to share, please post below and tell me about any strategies that have worked for you.  I’d love to hear them!