After nearly five months of research papers, writing assignments, event planning and doing work for my internship, I don't think I have ever been so excited for winter break! Aside from spending time with all of my family and friends, I finally get a chance to relax and unwind from such a crazy semester. With only a few more months left until graduation, I've decided to make a list of seven New Years Resolutions that can hit home with every college student.

#7 - Save

Saving is one of my many pitfalls in life. I always say that I'm going to open a savings account, coupon frequently, eat out less. Unfortunately, my plans to open a new account never pan through, I never cut coupons, and I end up eating out at least five times a week. One of my main resolutions this year is to start managing my money better.

#6 - Get healthy

Like I said before, I end up eating out way too many times per week. Even worse than spending unnecessary money, all of the fast food has really taken a toll on my body. In high school, I ate well-balanced meals and took dance classes on a daily basis. Being healthy was a breeze and I was able to keep some weight off. Now, I find myself less active and eating more junk food. I would love to get back into some more dance classes and exercises so this year, I am vowing to start grocery shopping rather than eating out, and hitting the gym instead of laying around watching television all day.

#5 - Gain more professional experience

After a string of majors, I've finally found what I love to do. Unfortunately, I got a late start in public relations. While I've been trying to make up for it by taking on multipe internships per semester, I still feel behind. In 2015, I'm going to buckle down on finding some more opportunities & applying to post-graduation jobs.

#4 - Travel

After my high school graduation, my aunt took me on a week-long trip to Spain. Before that, the furthest out of the country had been was to the Bahamas on a cruise when I was 11. Going out of the country really opened my eyes to a new culture and gave me experiences that I will never forget. Even if I can't go back to Europe or even out of the country, traveling to another part of the country is always an option.  Plus, it always pays to get away for a while!

#3 - Pay it forward

In high school, I worked at McDonald's for about two years. In that time, I saw countless hundreds of thousands of people come through the drive thru. Every so often, someone would drive up, pay for their order, and generously pay for the person behind them. When the next customer would come through the window, the look on their face after finding out that their meal had been paid for was priceless. As a student, I totally understand the financial struggle that is college but a few dollars here or there to lend a helping hand is definitely doable.

#2 - Read one new book each month

I love love LOVE to read. Even as a kid, I would spend hours in the library on the weekend, searching for new lands to explore. Unfortunatly, being a full-time student, having a job AND an internship doesn't allot much time for reading for pleasure. Next year, I'm going to make sure to read more for fun. While the intellectual stimulation of Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights is wonderful & I actually enjoyed those books, I need to finish The Hunger Games series!

#1 - Ward off stress

With so much going on during the year, it's extremely hard to combat stress. After a recent event hosted on campus regarding stress, I learned just how harmful stress really is to productivity. Losing sleep and eating less directly correlate to how much work I get done. With only a semester of college left, stress is something I really cannot afford. So, the next twelve months will be filled with me spending time getting things done in advance, being active & healthy, and staying positive.

What are your new years resolutions for 2015?