Happy New Year!

I don't know about you, but 2015 couldn't come fast enough. I try not to wish away years (especially since this time next year I'll be looking at my last semester of college) but 2014 was a rough year for me. 2015 brings an opportunity to let go of parts of it and use the lessons I've learned from it to make 2015 one of the best yet.

I don't normally make New Year's resolutions, since I make changes at whatever point in the year I decide something needs to happen, but this year I've decided to make some goals for myself. I'm ready to let go of some of the fears I have about the future and do something about them that lets me take control.

So here my goals for 2015:

1. Prepare for a job in 2016. By this time next year, I want to have a good idea of what I want in a post-graduate job. This means trying different things in my internships, searching the types of jobs out there and what kind of skills I need to learn for them, deciding how far I'm willing to move for a job, and getting advice from recent graduates. Hopefully in a year, I'll feel more prepared for a future outside of education and less afraid of it!
2. Read 50 books. This was a goal for 2014 and I failed. This year I want to take advantage of my free time and use it to read instead of watching TV I don't really care about or scrolling through social media. Which leads me to...
3. Waste less time on the Internet. I often come back from an afternoon class and sit and stare at Twitter for an hour. There is nothing on Twitter that demands an hour of my attention. So this year, I want to only use social media on my phone (where I look at it less) and save my computer for things I need to do. The goal is to see my computer as a productive place, not an unproductive one.
4. Consistently post on the blog. I was doing really well with this in the summer. But as soon as the semester started, I put all my attention to school work. Not this year. Even if it's only once a week, I want to have a schedule for my blog and stick to it. I think I'm going to try just posting every Thursday, and then if I feel like I can return to twice a week I will (and I want to!).
5. Run 5 miles. I've been running for over a year now, but I'm stuck at 2 miles. Part of this is how much time I have, but another part is lack of motivation to run further. So this year, I want to be able to run 5 miles without walking by the end of October. I'm hoping along the way I will start to run faster and more frequently, making my exercise routine more of a productive routine.

What are your goals for 2015?

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Below the Line:

• I've been compiling my stats for 2014, and I'm excited to share them with you! Look for a bonus post coming soon evaluating Scribbing in the Margins' first year.
• I start my winter term internship on Monday with the local magazine. I'm really excited to try a 9-5 "job" and learn about writing/publishing careers.