New Year, New Me

New Year, New Me

January 20, 2018 Reflections from Changemakers 46
As we are beginning the new semester and new year there are a lot of changes in the mix, whether that be academically, socially, or even just personally. Take some time and reflect on what your goals are for the upcoming year and what changes you want to put into place.
What is your goal for this semester? This year?
Why do you want to make these changes?
What is your plan to make these happen?
Who can support you?

 

46 Responses

  1. Miranda says:

    My goal for this semester to make the most of my last semester in college. This will be a challenge because I am completing 2 separate capstones which require alot of time. It will be a constant challenge to balance my work life, school, bonner/cpi, and my social life. I hope that my friends will be understanding about the commitments. I also have to figure out what I am doing come graduation. I have applied for multiple opportunities but I hope to stay in the Capital Region after graduation. I also now have my dog with me in Albany so she will be able to help with stress relief. I just need to remember that everything happens for a reason and I am the only one who can control my future.

  2. Andrew tessman says:

    My goal for this semester is to work on getting all my work done at a decent hour and not procrastinate as much, if not at all. That ultimately is a goal for the year, but only if I cannot accomplish it within this semester. Otherwise, I just want to keep growing as an individual and see where the wind takes me. For me, this change is just about allowing myself to have better academic habits. This is because, although procrastinating is more fun, doing all my work on time yields a lot less stress, and more time to do things after work and feel good about it. Ultimately, it’s about guiding myself towards healthier modes of being and not necessarily changing anything. To make this happen, I simply have to do it. Although, I have been talking to friends and trying to plan homework dates rather than just hangouts. This way they can help encourage me to be productive haha.

    Love bees (buzz),

    Andrew

  3. Justin John says:

    My goal this semester is directed towards not being a workaholic and relax more. To do that I want to place a focus on things that I’ve always had an interest in but never committed to taking part in. This would be music, art, dancing, and some other forms of creative art. However, I do want to focus on my academics more this year I found myself bouncing all over Siena and Albany to a point where there was too much on my plate. Other than that I feel like I’m ready to attack this semester and whatever is thrown in my path it will be accepted as a chance to help me improve my life for the better.

    • Kelly Finn says:

      All of those stress relief ideas sound great, Justin! This is going to be an awesome semester for you.

  4. Meghan Conboy says:

    My goal for the semester is to keep on loving what I do! I absolutely LOVE being an RA and working for OCL and I’m so excited to start working on some new projects at my site. ACE, OCL, and my friends and family keep me supported and motivated. Cheers to an awesome spring semester!

    B-Love,

    Meg

  5. Kelsey DelMastro says:

    My goals for my last semester of college *sobs* are to make sure I make the absolute most of my time. I want to continue to work hard in my classes and finish out strong. I want to spend as much time as possible with my friends making memories that will last much longer than my numbered days at Siena. I want to end my time as a Bonner Service Leader the same way I joined – eager for what’s to come. I want to make sure that I have my next step planned out – whatever that may be. But most importantly I want to do whatever makes me happy – whether is be eating all the ice cream at c store, skipping class to take that much needed nap, or watching movies with my housemates instead of doing homework. I want to end my time here at Siena with absolutely no regrets and a hope that all of the hard work I have put in over the past few years will pay off.

  6. Jordan L Thompson says:

    My goals for my last semester of my undergraduate career are a little ambiguous. I would like to solidify my post graduate plans and to grow as an individual entirely. To begin with, I would like to look into graduate MBA programs or potential jobs after graduation. Additionally, I would like to make deans list as well. I also want to progress on my mental and physical health by eating healthy and working out. This typically makes me feel better about myself and gets me going everyday. I will make these changes by daily routines and staying on top of my time and how it is utilized.

  7. Justin Kenyon says:

    My Goals for this upcoming semester are to balance everything I do out, and find what is important to me. Recently it seems that I have just been or trying to be involved with everything I can. However, this mentality usually leaves me burnt out. So, this upcoming semester I hope to find what is meaningful to me, and focus on it instead of just stretching my self to thin. Along with this I have to have better time management. Not only for academics, but for everything else as well.

  8. Harriet Koblenzer says:

    My goal for this semester is to maintain a good balance in all aspects of life, and to always make sure I am taking time for myself to relax. Self-care is my main goal for this year, and making sure I don’t stretch myself to thin. I hope to maintain good grades, and put in the same effort into all of my classes not just certain ones. I want to be consistent in all of my classes, and reflect on myself when something isn’t going as I had hoped it would. Right now I am going through a bit of a struggle my schedule, and being constantly tired and fazed out. My overall mood has changed, and I don’t feel like myself. I hope to overcome this as soon as possible, and push on and enjoy the rest of the semester. I also have stated meditating everyday, because the last time I meditate was during a Bonner class and it felt really good. I want to make these changes so I can develop as a person, and be the best self I can be. My friends and family here and at home continue to support me, and I need to continue to do my part and reach out to them if I need help or just need to talk.

  9. Jamie del Rosario says:

    This new year my resolution is to stick to my goals. While the things I want to achieve (self-care, balance, happiness) are still the same, I find myself struggling to stick to the habits and routines that make these things possible. This year I want to build the foundations that will make it possible for me to actively strive toward my goals, and to reach for them even when things get difficult and they seem unattainable.

  10. Dana Wakeman says:

    My goal for this semester is to not compare myself to last semester. This semester’s classes are completely different, so I will try to not stress myself out and to not make comparisons. Also, I want to determine what I want. At service, I am able to say if there is something I want to do, so I want to figure out what I want to do there. I want to make these changes in order to reduce future stress and to take advantage of the great opportunities that I have. In order to make these goals happen, I will set aside time to make a list of possible things I could do at service. Also, I will try to remind myself daily that I do not need to better than last semester, but rather try my hardest. I can be supported by family, friends and people at service to help me accomplish my goals.

  11. Everin Chacho says:

    As I enter the spring semester of my freshman year in college all I can say is that life really is like a box of chocolates. For when I entered Siena in the fall I believed that I was going to be a Biology major at any cost. Following a dream my parents had for me which I adopted and soon came to the realization that it was not making me happy. I love science and hope on going to medical school. But, being a biology major wasn’t making me enjoy everyday activities and it made me despise the things I once loved. That’s when I took a step back and realized that I could do science and enjoy it. I switched my major and I love it. So, for this semester I hope on continuing on living my life being happy and enjoying things rather than subjecting myself to pretenses. I have developed time for myself into my schedule rather than subjecting myself to hours upon hours of studying. I feel that everyone in ACE is very supporting and I couldn’t thank everyone enough.

  12. Kevin Ziobrowski says:

    My goal for this semester is to make it through. I set this goal because sometimes its nice to focus on basic goals you can achieve. Little wins help. Its not the only thing I hope to achieve, but it is certainly the most important. This year I hope to carry solid friendships from college through the summer, and visit the new friends I have made this year. In terms of changes I don’t want any major changes, as my first semester was really good. I plan to study hard and spend quality times with quality people, who I know will always be there for me.

  13. Julia Fleming says:

    My goal for this year is to be more organized. Last semester, I forgot my homework multiple times, my room was a disaster, and I was always rushing to class. Organization will definitely help me stay focused on academics and reduce the amount of running around I do. In order to make this change happen, I will write my assignments in a notebook, check Blackboard and email daily, and clean my room every day before class. This is definitely an individual goal so I need to support myself.

  14. Kenia says:

    I don’t really have new year resolutions. However, a goal of mine that I have had for a while is to stay positive. During the middle of a semester, I always find myself overwhelmed. This semester I will try to practice self-care but also stay positive.

  15. Brendan says:

    My goals for the upcoming semester include trying to focus on my academics, getting a better sleep schedule, and continuing to take on a larger role at my service site. To try to improve academically, I want to set aside more time to sit down at the library and complete my work. I want to try to focus on waking up at the same time every day, eating breakfast more, and getting my work done earlier so I’m not up all night doing my work. Last semester, there were too many nights where I was up all night finishing assignments because I didn’t manage my time as well, and that had a negative effect on how I did in classes the next day, and my sleep schedule. At my service site, I am already planning on expanding my responsibilities in my role running meetings for Albany County’s Community Accountability Board program at the Community Justice Outreach Center, as I will be working with felony cases when I was only working with misdemeanor cases before. For all of these goals, my fellow Bonners can support me, as well as those at my site. I also think I should meet with my academic advisor more.

  16. Ecli Vazquez says:

    For this semester I plan to make myself a more understanding person. The reason why I want make this goal is because everyone in life has different views. Even if they do not want to hear the other side. My plan is to talk to more people with different view. I feel that I only can support myself because this something that I have to do on my own.

  17. Billy Mayer says:

    Ever since I was little, I never really liked setting New Years resolutions. I always thought it was harder to start something after you talked about it, rather than just naturally getting into it. However, this year I do have some things that I want to do. Firstly, I want to have a job. While this seems kind of funny, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to do in the future, and it’s so tough to narrow down. Usually when I make decisions, I can tell a little while into it if it was the right or wrong decision, so I’m just hoping that I’ll realize that I made a good decision. Additionally, I just want to keep on a similar path as to the one I’m on now, as I’ve been fortunate enough to have plentiful opportunities in my life thus far.

    Lots of BLove!
    Billy

  18. Nima Chatterjee says:

    My goal for this semester is to work hard, but also not lose sight of what is important and who is important. I hope I can dedicate enough time for schoolwork this semester, while also making time for my close friends. I plan on managing my time effectively in order to get the same results as I did last semester with grades, but I want to get even better results than I did last semester. I hope that this semester I am supported by my site supervisor because I am looking forward to the tasks that I have been assigned, and hope to get guidance with what I am unsure of.

  19. Laniqua says:

    What is your goal for this semester? This year?
    Why do you want to make these changes?
    What is your plan to make these happen?
    Who can support you?
    My one goal for this semester is to continue to improve my gpa. My one goal for this year would be to become more patient with myself and others. I want to improve my gpa because there is nothing wrong with wanting better grades. I need more patience because I find myself getting frustrated at everything and not having time to breathe. I plan on staying on top of my work and reaching out if I need extra assistance with anything. As for my patience I downloaded an app called Breathe so I hope that works. The people that can support me.. anyone who has any concern about my well-being.

  20. Kiana H says:

    My goal for this semester is to live it to the fullest. I can’t believe it’s my last semester as a student here. It really is quite crazy to think I’ve been at Siena for almost four years now. I will forever say that the Bonner Program has made my college experience the best experience of my life. I have learned so much and have opened up my tunnel vision to everything, specifically social views and listening to others’ opinions, sides, and interpretations of things. I appreciate all the lessons and trainings we have had that taught me about professionalism, networking, public speaking, white privilege… etc. There is so much I have learned and I can never thank the Bonner Program enough for all they have done for me and taught me. Like mentioned before, my goal for this semester is to live it to the fullest. This is my last semester as a undergrad college student and I want to have no regrets and I want to stay positive. By the end of this year (hopefully sooner) I plan to have a job that I enjoy and take my experiences and lessons with me from the Bonner program. I want to make these changes by going outside of my comfort zone and trusting the process of Senior Year. I really have all the support I need, especially the ACE office… who have been so supportive of me since day 1. All my friends, specifically Kelsey, Jessie, and Jordan, who are always there for me and to stand by me through thick and thin. My family, who have supported me since the day I decided to choose Siena and to choose my major, and the career path I want to take. And of course Kelly, who undeniable puts up with my craziness and guides me through the process. Didn’t mean to get sappy but I just love the Bonner Program so much and it’s made me the best person I can be. Thank you all so much. <3 🙂

  21. Kate Callery says:

    I am excited to see what 2018 can offer me. Just like any year 2017 had some low points but it was also filled with a lot of high points. As I welcome in the second semester I look forward to making the most of what ACE, Siena, and the rest of the community have to offer. One big goal of mine at my site is to get to know more students. It’s been amazing getting to know a few of them but I want to make sure I am accessible and there for the ALH community. I would also like to work to do the same thing here at Siena, meeting and engaging and hopefully helping other people on campus in anyway that I can. I have to also hope to get good grades this semester. One fear that I have going into this new year is the pesky low points and negative aspects that accompany each year. I hope to work effectively through these and make something positive come out of the negative. Can’t wait for this New Year!

  22. Gabby Tegiacchi says:

    My goal for the year ahead is to make it my best one yet, and to help others do the same. This extends to my student teaching, my music ministry, making postgrad choices, and nurturing the friendships and relationships that mean the most to me. This is a big year/semester for me, and it isn’t always easy, but by surrounding myself with wonderful people, taking time for myself, knowing what is important, and further attending to the important work of loving and accepting myself, I am proud to say that I couldn’t be happier. I feel so incredibly blessed for EVERYTHING Siena has given to me, the wonderful people I’ve met here, and how much it has taught me about who I am and who I want to be. I hope to take advantage of every opportunity, to be more positive, and to know that I am never alone. I have so much to be grateful for, and my heart is incredibly full.

    B Love!

  23. Taylor Disco says:

    What is your goal for this semester?
    My Goal for this semester has got to be to get a good grade in Biology. I have not taken bio since I was a freshman in High school, and the idea of taking it terrifies me. The idea of the intense memorization, and my lack of interest towards the subject makes me fearful that I will put off studying.

    Knowing already that I need to study and study hard, I will have to schedule in study times throughout the week. This way I don’t cram or leave all my studying for the night before. I also think that if I find something I connect with or make myself appreciate the information it will be easier to connect with the material and therefore study it.

    Getting outside help is not something I usually do, but considering my goal of excelling I am going to seek help from my instructor during office hours. In addition, I may even attend tutoring hours by the students.

  24. Emma Henderschedt says:

    A new semester & a new year is always refreshing. I love the chance for reflection of where I have been and where I want to be. My goals for this semester involve maintaining a good GPA (even with Dr. Cutler’s class), eating right & exercising, working on growing my relationship with God, and studying my BRAINS out for these dang LSATs. I also want to dive deeper into my service site now that my site supervisor is back from maternity leave. I hope that the experiences I will have at this site will help me be able to come up with some ideas for a capstone.
    This semester, I want to focus on being happy. The thought of being almost 6/8 done with college is scary and I don’t want to waste anytime wallowing in stress or sadness. I need to remind myself how thankful I am to have this education and enjoy the little things each and every day that make me smile.
    I hope to be able to accomplish these goals with a little help from my friends and family who support me, with a regular prayer life, and with some self determination to be the best person I can be.

    Let’s make this semester a good one!

    Bonner Love,
    EKH

  25. Shannon Stout says:

    Wowza! A new semester at Siena! I am pumped! This semester I really want to dive into every aspect of my life, from service to classes to prayer. I am trying to really let go of my own will and trust more in God. This is certainly not easy, but I am slowly becoming more comfortable with the fact that I do not have to be perfect! In fact, I am not meant to be! All I can do is really put my heart in it all, and take everything one step at a time, totally relying on His love & mercy! I am so happy to be back. This will be a rockin’ semester! Love you all!

  26. Kiara Woodward says:

    Happy New Year! I hope this year brings everyone health and happiness!
    My goal for this semester is to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA and establish myself more firmly at my site. With college application season ending I’m hoping to find a new task to tackle.
    The goals I have set for myself requires me to stay focused on my studies and find work for myself within my site.
    I can be supported by my site supervisors when I am finding my role in this new semester. My professors will be a great asset to me when makin sure I maintain good grades.

  27. Monique Lawrence says:

    My biggest goal for the semester and the year is to be more selfish in a good way. I really let a lot of small situations get the best of me and it affected my emotions and spiritual health for most of last year and I honestly didn’t like seeing that side of myself. I have done it so far and I feel more like myself and even become successful at my site and in the classroom. I am doing this by not being a dormbody ( since I always love in stay in New Hall) and doing things like go to the mall, random trips and hanging out with friends. I can see that doing that for the first week of classes made it so much better. Anyone can support me in many ways. My cousin and a few friends have told me that college was one of the many times that you can not get back so I’m trying to make the last year of it worthwhile. I wish everyone blessings that this semester will be the best it can be and I am always a call away!

  28. Alyssa Lofaro says:

    I have a lot of goals for this semester/ year. The first is that I would like to continue to improve my GPA and to stay on the Dean’s List. The Second is to (as cliche as this my be) “get healthy”. I really want to be more aware of what I am putting into my body and making sure I am regularly going to the gym. I also want to make sure that I am not over committing myself and for the things I do commit to making sure I do them to my best ability.
    I want to “get healthy” because since starting Whole30 I have had a lot more energy and just overall feel better. I do not want to feel awful again and I think this will make for a much better semester!
    My plan to make these things happen is to continue what I have been doing this semester so far. I want to continue to stay organized and even when assignments start to pick up making sure I am making my goals a priority and not stressing myself out to much.

    Have a great semester everyone! B-Love!!

  29. Kylie Gilbride says:

    The most important thing for me to strive for in 2018 is growth. For me, this growth should be academically, service-wise, socially, extracurricularly, and in any other way that I could learn/benefit from. I am someone that really like routines, but sometimes I have the tendency to caught up in those routines and become comfortable. I want to make sure that although comfort it good, it should not disallow for continual grow and new opportunities. As we always say in Bonner, it is so very important to”get comfortable with the uncomfortable.”

  30. Maya Gentile says:

    My goal for this semester is to be the best student I can be academically and make Deans list. I also hope to be a productive vice president for BLSU. I also plan to be a better Bonner and find that passion I had freshman year. This year in 2018 I hope to grow and receive all the blessings I’ve been missing out on these past couple years. I hope to invest fully in myself and give myself the upmost love a girl can give herself. I’ve been through a lot since coming to Siena and now I want to fully invest in the blessings and opportunities I have been neglecting including myself. This is my year to be the best me I can be. My plan started off by cutting off all the negative people in my life and buckling down on my mission and becoming more invested in my passion. I need ACE admin to help guide me, Shadane to continue to mentor me, and my other close friends to keep me uplifted and focused. I also need myself to realize my worth and be fully invested in myself and my vision for the future.

    • Jamie del Rosario says:

      Sometimes it’s hard to find that passion that is so clear when you’re brand new to things, but I know you can do it-

  31. Amelia Butler says:

    This semester, I really would like to make sure I am able to take some time for myself. My schedule can get a little crazy, but I really want to focus on taking a little bit of time to self-reflect and take care of my own well-being before I take care of anyone or anything else. This is definitely something I tend to forget when the semester gets a little stressful. I also really want to focus on some of my friendships and family relationships this year. Family is the most important thing in my life, and I really want to work on some of my not-so-great relationships with family members. I plan on really sticking to my plans and to-do lists this semester in order to make sure I have time to get everything done and prioritize.
    B-Love Always, Amelia

  32. Heather Ryan says:

    This semester will certainly bring about many changes for me. My goal for this semester is to secure a job for after graduation. For the year as a whole, I am making this my year of difficult conversations. I decided my resolution this year would be that from now on I will always choose to have the sensitive, necessary, and often challenging conversations that arise in my life, no matter how difficult it will be. This is my year of being open and honest with myself and others about what I need, want, and choose. I have decided to make this change in my life because I have noticed that I often make choices based on how they will make others feel. I shy away from confrontation in order to make sure I am pleasing others, even when that may leave me short of the things I want or the way I want them. As I transition out of college and into adulthood, I think that it is key that I always put myself, my needs, and my wants as a priority in my life, even if it means telling others no at times.

    I hope everyone is having a great semester thus far. B-love

  33. Alexis D'Aloia says:

    My goals for this semester and this year as a whole are to keep my grades up, eat healthy, and spend more time with my family. I was able to maintain a good GPA last semester, but being that the courses I’m taking this semester are a little harder I would like to keep myself on track the best that I can. I would like to eat healthier than I did last semester to keep myself feeling good and energized. And I would like to spend more time with my family because after recent events it’s made me realize how much they mean to me, and that I should make the best of the time that I do have with them even while being away at college. In order to make all these goals happen I’m going to try my best to stay on top of school work and my eating habits. I’m also going to make it a point to stay in contact with my family more than I did last semester. Throughout this year, I’ll have my friends and family to support me; both friends at home and school, and the whole Bonner family as well as my family at home.

    Happy New Year to all,

    Alexis

  34. Abby Hoekman says:

    My goal for this semester is to maintain my GPA and develop a genuine interest for the materials I’m learning in the classroom, as well as, using first-hand experiences at my site to practice and apply this knowledge. This year, I want to refine my mentality when it comes to schoolwork and be grateful for each opportunity and challenge, knowing I will be better equipped for my future having completed them. I want to make these changes to improve my overall education and experience here at Siena. I can accomplish this with the help of my friends, family, faith, and professors.

  35. Shadane says:

    It has been 15 months since I decided to make a lifestyle change to become a pescetarian. This transition, though tough at first has taught me so much about my body and self-love. My goal for LIFE is to put my health first and work on healthy eating habits. For me this means getting more active in ways that excite and energize me as well as steering clear of negative energy.

    Much change is coming in the near future in terms of my professional life and my only hope is that God gives me the strength, patience, and wisdom to make fulfilling decisions and accept change !

    Wishing You All a Happy Semester,

    Shadane

  36. Nicole Pazarecki says:

    Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018! 2017 was an amazing year for me, but I cannot wait to see what 2018 has to offer for me. My goals for 2018 is to grow as a person through my service and school. I want to maintain my GPA, get a job/internship for the summer and build my resume. My number one goal for 2018 is to declare my major. Not having a major is very frustrating so hopefully this year I will have a major. 2017 brought me memories that I will save forever, so I hope 2018 will be even better! I want 2018 to be filled with fun, happiness, excitement, and lot of laughs.

    Happy New Year Everyone! Lets make 2018 a great year!

  37. Marlie Frisco says:

    My goal for this semester is to work smarter, not harder. I want to better my study skills and the techniques I use to study, hopefully yielding better results. I want to make these changes so I can genuinely learn the material and produce better grades, which will both help me get into medical school. I plan on using many different study techniques, to find the most beneficial way for me to learn. Both my family and friends can support me as I work to obtain a better GPA and a greater knowledge for the classes and subjects I am taking.

  38. Najja Saint George O'Connor says:

    1. My goal for this semester is the to get on the dean’s list for next semester, assuming everything goes right. My goal for this year is to continually keep learning and growing as a person. I want to make these changes because I feel that spiritually and intellectually I’ve been stagnant. To help me get to my goal of intellectual enlightenment I will be reading way more to gain more perspective on the world. I am open to supporting from anyone who has a different experience than me.
    “All readers are not leaders, but all leaders are readers.”

    • Monique Lawrence says:

      Knowledge is something that can never be taken away from you. I wish you all the best in your academic and spiritual journey this semester.

  39. Liliana Sanchez Adames says:

    For this upcoming year I decided to leave all the blessings I get in God’s hands. In other words, I dont have any specific “resolutions” besides pushing myself harder in order to succeed. I will always have goals and aspirations but I decided that even though I try my very best to acquire then, it is up to God that I get them if He finds it that I am ready to meet such goal at the moment. But what I will try to work on this year will be to get my grades up which is always my number one goal, I want to succeed in my new job as a scribe, and I want to prioritize my family a little bit more. I plan on working on my time management to make these things happen and having me first of all as my number one supporter and of course my family and friends as a motivation and a reminder that God willing, I can acquire these goals.

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