“I’m so ready for the new year.”

And you know what? I couldn’t agree more. After a year of ups and downs, college graduation, and a weird new existence of life after college, I too am ready to get rid of my frenemy, 2010.

Personally for me, 2010 has been very strange. It was either really good or really, really bad – no in between. I haven’t had a year this bipolar since venturing off to college in 2006. Needless to say, my relationship with the past twelve months is something that I’m not looking to hold onto or cherish because, well, if this were a real life relationship, I’m pretty sure my BFFs would tell me to kick that jerk to the curb.

So, at the stroke of midnight, I’m doing just that.
See you never, 2010!

OK, so 2010 wasn’t a total bust. Half of it was spent rounding out my senior year of college (which rocked my socks off), and I did learn a lot about myself. It’s just that like many post-grads, I feel like since graduation all the things I’ve wanted to come true haven’t. While most people have had a few lucky breaks, the majority of us are still searching for that perfect opportunity, that new something that energizes us. We’ve grown cynical and lost the faith that we’d find our passion and go on to do great things with our college degrees. We have run out of steam to find what we’re looking for and the confidence that we can even get it.

But with 2011 coming, it’s like a new start. A second chance. A big moment where we can say goodbye to the bad and hello to the exciting and new. The rollercoaster ride of 2010 is over and with a new year, we can only expect better. I mean, seriously – having graduated into the worst economy since the Great Depression….it has got to get better!

So here’s to a 2011 that kicks 2010’s ass, a year that makes post-grad dreams come true, and a lot of champagne on New Year’s Eve to commemorate your first new year out of college. Whether it’s been good or bad, happy or sad, everything you wanted or nothing you dreamed of, at least we have 2011 to start anew!

Cheers!

Except most resolutions get tossed out the window by February, leaving the resolutioner in the same exact place they were one year before. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are lots of ways to ensure you stick to your goals, one of them being accountability. Simply sharing your resolution with others so you have someone there watching you along the journey will help keep you strong.

So that’s what we’re gonna do. Three CollegeCandy writers have agreed to share their big resolutions for 2010 and document their quest to success. Every month we’re going to check in on them to see how they’re doing and keep them motivated to complete the goals they set for themselves.

Did you make a resolution? Do you want help keeping it? Come along for the ride each month and share your ups and downs in the comments section below. If we all work together we can be happier, thinner, stronger, smarter, richer, whatever-you-want-er come 2011.

Brittany: Happiness

New Year’s Resolutions scare me. No, they really do.  The minute I want to be a good person and lose 20 pounds, I have dreams about blueberry muffin mountains and an ocean full of margaritas.  Please tell me I am not the only one. On this account, I have decided to tackle my resolution at a different angle this year: by simply, being happy.  And there is a little equation I have come up with to help myself through, and it is actually fun!

My new resolution is: When I wake up in the morning, ask myself “What is it that you would really want to do today?” And do it. Every day.  It doesn’t need to be climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, or to learn the 5th symphony on the piano.  It can be easy as telling someone how I really feel, or going on a drive simply to have a mini-concert in my car starring me, myself, and I.  I should just do it. So that’s my plan for 2010. To be happy. Follow me on my journey and maybe we can all have a happier future.

Sara: Marathon

Running is more than just a hobby for me: since I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2008, it regulates my stress and helps keep my digestive system in order. Before my diagnosis I was sick nearly every day, with very little energy and without passion to do the things I love. Once I changed my diet and started running seriously, I’ve been symptom-free and, well, really happy! (Runner’s high is real, I’m telling you!) That’s why my New Year’s resolution is to maintain a running goal (really, a dream) I’ve had for years: to finish the New York City Marathon in under 4 hours, something I thought was impossible when I was ill.

This is a resolution two years in the making; I spent the last year qualifying for this year’s 26.2 mile race, which takes place on November 7. Until then, I will be running a half-marathon in each borough of New York City, to maintain my fitness and aid in the marathon training. Over the next few months, I’ll be reporting back to CollegeCandy on my progress and race results, all while trying to stay injury-free. Who knows, maybe I can convince you to try distance running!

Lauren: Fit Into My Old Jeans

I’ve put on about 15 pounds in the past two years. It came on slowly so I barely saw it happening, but it came on nonetheless. And now I see it. Jiggling back at me in the mirror. So my resolution for this year is to stop letting the little things (a cookie here, a half pizza there) slide and finally get my weight back down to its happier place. I have all the tools to do it – the gym membership, the healthy food, the knowledge. And now I’ve got the fire under my (larger) ass to make this happen for myself.

I want to go back to the days when I felt good in my clothes… and when I could sit down without a giant muffin top pouring out. I want to feel healthy. I want to feel proud. I want to feel sexy and happy and content. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve been the happiest I’ve ever been in my life these past two years. But somewhere I let myself go and now is the time to fit the last piece in the puzzle (…and fit these thighs into my favorite jeans). I’m motivated and I’m ready to be my bad-ass, healthy self in 2010. Let’s see how this goes.

After spending ten years with guys named Damien and Chace who lock eyes with a woman across the room, embark on rocky waters, and finally end up in paradise with the one and only person who could make them change their playboy ways, I began to crave a bit of reality in my life.

After all, how many men could there possible be with the “largest piece of manhood she’d ever seen,” who were also rich, gorgeous, and emotionally accessible only to me?

Yeah, it was time for a heaping tablespoon of reality and Jane Green served it to me. Narrated by Tasha, a woman who sleeps with men to overcome her emotional issues Straight Talking “sets the record straight regarding the real world of dating,” and deals with real people and real problems that people who date in real life encounter. Tasha and her three best friends mimic the Sex and the City group, meeting up for weekly get-togethers and dishing on their latest men.  However, their men mirror ones encountered in reality.  They date salesmen and accountants, not professional athletes and sexy policemen.  They stumble upon issues like sexual intimacy and picking between Mr. Right and Mr. So-Hot-It-Hurts.  Their stories mesh together to create a novel that any type of girl can relate to, from thel hook-up-every-night chick to the one saving yourself for marriage gal.

Tasha’s flashbacks on past relationships allow readers to see how even the most seemingly insignificant of men leave a lasting mark on a woman’s outlook towards dating and love, and how even a small three-month relationship can break your heart.  If you have ever felt like crying in the middle of class or stared at your cell phone wondering why somebody hasn’t called you, Green’s characters empathize as they try to outsmart the men who have all the tools to break their hearts.  She looks at heartbreak, friendship, and sex the way that real people do. 

Unlike the romance novels I devoured growing up, real people yell, cry, talk to psychiatrists, and don’t always come out of relationships as good as they began.  However, they grow and learn from them (yes, I’m spouting clichés right here, but love, sex, and marriage are all about being cliché).  This is a great book for those people who enjoy romance novels and a captivating story, but want more depth to their novels than two hot people having sex. All the time. Over and over again.

This book is more than a great summer read; it’s like a best friend who totally gets what you’re going through and is right there to see you through it.

Ladies, I’m sure you’ll agree with me: one of the most important aspects in any serious relationship is the sex. There’s no denying the physical and emotional needs for it, so what happens when you’re not getting any?  I had never anticipated being in a sexless relationship, so it came as a shock when my guy had a confession: he valued love and intimacy over the physical act of sex.

Right.

Naturally, it was a blow to my self-esteem. Was it me? Was I not sexy enough? Did the thought of me naked make his manhood shrivel with disgust?

This is where the ever-important “honesty” came in. I expressed my self-doubt to him, and he explained how he’d come out of a really bad long-term relationship and he wanted commitment, not just wild nights. Being the amazing, understanding girlfriend I am (yeah right), I supported his needs for an emotional connection.

It drove me crazy. I had no idea how to handle this situation. We were ridiculously into each other… just not literally. And after a while, it started to suck. Again…not in the way I wanted. What’s a girl to do? Well, buy a battery-operated buddy, to start.

After a while, though, I realized maybe we were (gasp!) better off sex free! How could I ever think that? For one, we had no need to worry about condoms or me missing my period. And we were really enjoying one another in a way I had never really known before. I even began to think that maybe sex was overrated.

Yes, I too thought I was losing my mind.

But as we spent more and more time together – without all the physical stuff – I realized that this was the real thing. There are so many more important aspects to our relationship. We have 6-year age gap, so we’re learning how to manage a real relationship outside of college, which I’ve found to be harder than dating someone on campus. It also taught me that intimacy doesn’t come from sex, it comes from being happy with what you have.

Would I recommend a sexless relationship? They’re not for everybody. Am I happy? Absolutely. What about you? Have any of you been in sex-free relationships?

The semester’s off and running, the weather’s getting worse, and next summer feels like an eternity. It’s easy to find your mood plummeting, your motivation waning, and your usually chipper self turning into a snappy betch. Misery has a snowball effect: you’re grumpy, and it rubs off on your roommate; you’re already in a bad mood, and walking into a pop quiz can set you over the edge. Before the blahs take over your body, take time to stop, breathe, recharge and rejuvenate. Here are five quick pick-me-ups to get you out of a funk.

1. Sleep: You’ve been up at the crack of dawn every morning to hit the gym, struggle to stay awake through three back-to-back classes, rush to your part-time job, and finally head home to tackle several hours worth of homework. Of course you’re feeling dreary! Lack of sleep can have adverse psychological effects– take it from a girl who is known to burst into tears at the slightest provocation after pulling an all-nighter or two– so even if you can’t fit in a full eight hours of sleep a night, treat yourself to a long, comatose nap. When you wake up, you’ll be more energetic and alert, so it might even boost your studying stamina later in the week.

2. Treat Yourself: You’ve been running on empty for weeks, neglecting yourself in order to make a good impression on your professors, sorority sisters, friends, coworkers, etc. Do something nice for yourself. If you have some extra cash, buy yourself a new outfit. If you think you look good, you’re bound to feel good, too. Low on cash? Scrape together some change and download a couple of jams on i-Tunes. I mean, they’re only 99 cents most of the time– you deserve it! Get a track that will raise your spirits, like Flo Rida’s “In the Ayer,” DJ Laz’s “Move, Shake, Drop Remix” or, for a bubblegum pop sound, The Orion Experience’s “Obsessed with You.” Then, crank up your speakers and have your own personal dance party for a few minutes. It’ll be worth it.

3. Exercise: Everyone knows that cardio releases endorphins in your brain. When I’m in a bad mood, I take out my anger on the elliptical machine, and half an hour later, I’m dripping with sweat, I’ve burned 400 calories, and I forget what I was so frustrated with in the first place. If you’re really miserable and the first five minutes feels like forever, just pushing yourself to finish the circuit can feel like an accomplishment. If the university gym has a group exercise schedule, take advantage. You’re less likely to quit after ten minutes of Zumba when you’re surrounded by twenty of your peers, and chances are, the class comes equipped with some peppy beats.

4. Laugh it Off: Throw a Will Ferrell flick into the DVD player or catch up on The Office. Go online and waste your time at LOLcats or Yearbook Yourself. My personal favorite is Group Hug, which has been around longer than PostSecret. Whenever I read the confessions on this site, I either pee my pants, or just feel better about myself for having NOT done some of the shenanigans these strangers own up to.

Other ways to laugh it off? Grab your roommate and act like five-year-olds. My former roommate and I both had final exams the DAY BEFORE we graduated college. We needed to study, but couldn’t focus. We were stressed that we couldn’t focus, because we didn’t want to screw things up at the last minute. So what did we do? We put on our caps and gowns, and drew giant smiley faces on pillowcases and wore them over our heads.

We actually won a graduation-themed photo contest with that one. Of course, we can’t all be ruining our bedding every time we get stressed out, but I’ve found that a solid phone call with a good friend in which we recount the stupid sh*t we’ve done over the years also works wonders.

5. Blow Everything Off: If you decide to sleep, shop, work out, or watch a movie, chances are you’re blowing something off to do it. But sometimes, you need to put everything on pause. Working five shifts a week on top of your heavy course load? Take a night off… just because. Social schedule getting in the way? Turn off your phone and spend some QT with yourself. Social schedule nonexistent? It won’t kill you to skip your night class (just this once) and go dancing with your friends.

Hell, blow off your diet and 3-hour-a-day workout routine and eat a freaking piece of chocolate cake. You might be thinking, “There’s no way I have the time to blow everything off!” But sometimes, you have to choose your battles. If you stress yourself into a nervous breakdown, you won’t be getting any homework done from the psych ward.

[Any other funk-fighting tips?]

(photo from www.justlaura.com)

Welcome to Thursday! Last week I was channeling Grandma, and while some of those habits have carried over from last week (I still can’t get enough of crosswords!), there’s a whole new crop of cool that’s just waiting to be unveiled to you all.

This week is about being healthy and happy. It’s not as hard as you think…

Fashion Obsession: Navy Blue

Everyone’s abuzz with the news that navy is back! Well, did it ever really go anywhere? Not to me! It’s been a long standing fashion no-no to pair navy blue and black, but not anymore, and I couldn’t be more excited. What’s even better is that it’s so easy to hop on the blue bandwagon that there’s no excuse not to give it a shot!

Check out this adorable little frock from TopShop (love the collar) or this navy raincoat from Forever 21 that is cute as a button!

Technology Obsession: Nikon D40

Last week, I featured the DigiWalker C720T which was more a GPS system than digi cam. But the Nikon D40 is my choice this week for a super powerful digital SLR camera for not only its user friendly design but its ultra sharp quality.

Remember last week when I mentioned my love for taking walks? Bringing a camera along always makes for a memorable adventure and opens your eyes to things you might overlook otherwise. We may not all live in a big city, but give taking a long walk a shot this week. It’s totally worth it!

Health and Body Obsession: Yoga

I’ve never been the most athletic girl.

Sure, I played softball when I was little and would dabble in volleyball and golf (not exactly terribly athletic, anyway…) as I reached high school, but I was never one to hit up the gym after dinner like the rest of my friends. But lately, I’ve been noticing just how hard it is to walk up the five flights of stairs to the office every morning and that’s when I knew it was due time I strengthened up. So, what did I do?

Yoga! Vasantha Yoga is my practice of choice and I totally love how it focuses my breathing and destressed me while I get the health benefits without even realizing it!

For those of you looking to spice it up a bit? Word on the street is that Crunch Gyms are adding a Kama Sutra Yoga class.

Sign me up!

Food Obsession: Bento Boxes

Call me crazy, but I have this weird fascination with containers. I know, I know, it’s probably just some strange kind of OCD tendency rearing its head, but nontheless, I love ‘em.

That’s why when I came across these, I knew I had to learn more. Bento Boxes here in the States are usually found on the menu at your local sushi place, but you can buy your own little one to use for your own office (or classroom) lunches.

I love this concept because I’ve always been a fan of the traditional lunchbox but feel silly, at 23, carrying one around. This solves that problem.

Extra bonus? Bringing your lunch everyday will not only save you money but will allow you to control exactly what you’re eating which will keep you healthy…and happy!

See you next week!