2015.

Hey everyone! Welcome to what will hopefully be another amazing year! I can honestly say that 2014 flew by for me and I can't wait to see how 2015 will turn out! While this past year was full of amazing memories and experiences, there are definitely some things that could have gone a little smother. To start this new year off on the right foot, I'm making some new years resolutions that I can actually (hopefully) stick to this year.

• Make better financial decisions - A sad reality is that where I live, money is everything. Living in New York City is ridiculously expensive when it comes to basic costs of living, and I fell into a never-ending financial hole when I opened my first credit card. It's been 2 years and it's been extremely hard. No matter what I do, I end up over about $1,500 + interest at the end of each month. With my last paycheck from December 2014, I have my debt down to ~$500, which honestly made me almost cry a little bit. At only 20 years old, I've been very hard on myself when it comes to money, and I'm hoping to end 2015 with $0 owed to ANY credit company.

• Stop buying cheap clothes - Hi, my name is Maritza and I'm a sucker for cheap clothing! In the past few months I've learned to stop shopping in stores that sell bad quality clothing (goodbye, Forever 21!)  I'm currently at 5'0" and I haven't grown (and don't expect to grow any more) since probably the 10th grade. At this point in my life, I'd rather invest in good quality pieces that will last me a long time, not just a few wears.

• Spend more time with my family - Between being a full-time college student and working 2 jobs, my free time is split between "me" time, my boyfriend, and my family. I can practically physically see my relationships with them become more strained, and I'd love to spend more time with them and repair it.

• Make friends at school - This may sound a little pathetic, but I don't have many people I consider to be "friends." I still speak to about 2-3 people from high school, and I didn't make a single lasting friend (one I spoke to outside of lectures, not just commentary during class) at my community college. I'm starting at a 4-year school at the end of this month and I'm definitely going to be trying to build relationships there.

• "Practice excellence" in all that I do - This little phrase brings me back to a previous employer. I worked at a non-profit organization in one of their after-school program sites. My supervisor used to tell us at staff meetings, "we practice excellence," and that motto never left my mind. Unfortunately, the perfectionist in me would expect perfection instead. This year, I want to let go a little bit; while I won't be stopping to strive for perfection ,as seen by my 3A's, and 1 A- this past semester, a feat I slaved the entire semester to achieve, I aim to be more forgiving to my slip-ups. 

I've always believed that life is what you make of it, and I'm going to make this year the best that it can be. I want to be healthier, I want to be happier, I want to look back on 2015 this time next year and be able to say I did all that I wanted to, and I took the opportunities given to me. My year is going to be amazing, with amazing people surrounding it. I've convinced myself, now it's time to convince yourself that you can set goals and achieve them!