by Paige Melvin
Every January we come to the table with expectations and hopes for the new year. Whether it is a new dress size, new job or new significant other, we have this addiction to being able to change ourselves in one fell swoop when clock strikes midnight. While this year is likely no different, by now you have fallen off the bandwagon: staying up late, eating junk food, drinking too much and so forth. While we probably shouldn’t tell you to lose weight or ditch that loser boy/girlfriend, there are a few resolutions worth making that might make your life a little better. So here are our tips for the new year, in no particular order.
10. Resolve to stop discrimination against someone based on religion, sexual preference, skin color, gender or ethnicity. Have an argument-free discussion and learn something instead of cracking jokes and pointing fingers. Try to understand your fellow human.
9. How many times do you have to hear it? Quit drinking and driving. There are so many different ways to get yourself home that don’t endanger yours and everyone else’s lives nearly as much. Call a cab, a tow truck or worst case, your mom.
8. It’s trite, but sets a good precedent. Do one thing every day that makes you happy, scares you or makes someone else happy. We combined all the frequently heard ones, but don’t forget about the little things. If you absolutely love peanut m&m’s, don’t give them up, eat them more!
7. Unless you have a serious problem or are underage, don’t quit drinking. Instead, learn to drink in a safer, less irresponsible manner. Grow up, slow down on your binge drinking and drink better quality booze. Instead of drinking your paycheck, send that cash to Haiti or another charity. Do some good and give your liver a break, at least for the month of January.
6. Read more. This does not include the back of the cereal box. However, if you really are reading Playboy for the journalism, keep on truckin’. (Maroon Weekly has some great articles—check out our RSS, Twitter and mobile website on your iPhone!)
5. Stay away from cocktail waitresses. Enough said.
4. Spend less time on Facebook and more time actually talking to your friends.
3. Watch/listen to the news. Put on NPR, download the daily BBC podcast- something! The world is in a critical place right now, you don’t have to know everything but you should be aware of the world around you.
2. This year, I hate to tell you, but don’t make a sex tape. Your 15 minutes of fame is not worth your little brother or sister or crazy Aunt Mildred looking at you all contorted. Can you say awkward family Christmas next year?
1. Why so serious? Have a little fun, be a little crazy and when it comes down to it, the nights with friends really are way more important than that Accounting quiz (but don’t tell your prof we said so).
For a box:
Drunk driving stats:
In Texas, 43% of all fatalities were alcohol related.
In 2008, 37% of all fatalities nationwide were alcohol related.
About three in every ten Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.
A first time drunk driving offender on average has driven drunk 87 times prior to being arrested.
On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 45 minutes. In 2008, an estimated 11,773 people died in drunk driving related crashes—a decline of 9.8 percent from the 13,041 drunk driving related fatalities of 2007.
Celebrities that have made a sex tape:
Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee (and Pamela Anderson and Bret Michaels)
Paris Hilton and Rick Salomon
Lindsay Lohan and Calum Best
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart
Dustin Diamond (of Full House)
Fred Durst (of Limp Bizkit)
Jenna Lewis (of Survivor)
Tonya Harding and Jeff Gillooly
Kim Kardashian and Ray J
Rob Lowe
Verne Troyer
Colin Farrell and Nicole Narain
Carrie Prejean
Robert Ritchie (Kid Rock) and Scott Stapp (of Creed) and 4 groupies
Facebook Facts:
More than 350 million total users
More than 55 million status updates every day
Pages have more than 5.3 billion fans total
70% of Facebook users are outside the U.S.
The Average User:
Has 130 friends
Sends 8 friend requests per month
Spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook
Each month writes 25 comments and clicks the ‘Like’ button on 9 pieces of content
Is a member of 12 groups