In just a few days, everyone will be talking about New Year’s resolutions. This time of year brings out the cynics. I’ve heard more than a few people resolve to stop making resolutions. It’s true that New Year’s is a totally arbitrary time to decide to go back to the gym, start volunteering, or what have you. In the grand scheme of things, there’s no real difference between deciding to turn your life around on the first of January and deciding to do so a week later. So, why New Year’s?

• It comes with a built-in support group. Whether you bet your best friend that you can stick to your guns for longer or you agree to help each other make it through ’til next year, the fact that quite a few of your friends and family members are also resolving to better themselves in one way or another. Take advantage of the timing.
• It’s a line in the sand. There’s something nice about drawing a line. Once you figure out what your goals are and you make yourself a plan, it’s nice to have a firm start date. Everything before 1/1/10 is the old you, everything beyond it is the new, improved you.
• It’s a great excuse. Reinventing yourself can be fun. You can use New Year’s as an excuse to change things up. Rather than accusing you of having a mid-life crisis or falling off the deep end, your friends and coworkers will take the new you as a sign of the times–and the times are a changin’.
• Why not? Chances are that there’s something you aren’t happy about. It could be something small, like the way you compulsively hop out of bed in the middle of the night for a high calorie snack. It could be something a bit larger, like career happiness. Why let it fester? You’ve got three more days until you’re celebrating the New Year; make the celebration worth it with a resolution.

Education Is a Great Place to Start–And the Time Is Nigh

Not everyone is going to find the answer on campus, but nothing says “new you” like a revitalizing influence of learning. You might be gunning for a new degree in the same field or putting in the leg work for a total career shift. Whatever your motivation, if you’re dreaming of going back to school, the time to act is now. Deadlines for applications are coming up faster than you think, and you’ve got a laundry list of things to do. There are tests to take, admissions essays to write, and letters of recommendation to obtain–particularly if you’re going back for a graduate degree.

You’ve got three days to figure out what you want to do in 2010, make a plan, and start sticking to it. Make this New Year’s one to remember, and get started on the new you.