Setting goals for 2016

Junior nursing major Alina Wadhwani kept her 2015 New Year’s resolution of improving her grade-point average through ambition and hard work. This year, she and many others hope to do the same.

“I want to get back in shape. That’s my new goal,” Wadhwani said. “I’ve begun eating healthier and going to the gym.”

Maureen Green, a family nurse practitioner at the UTRGV Health Services Clinic in Brownsville, said weight loss is a common goal many make as their New Year’s resolution.

Green said she did not make any resolutions in 2015 because she usually breaks them in the first few weeks. This year, however, she has implemented a new plan of attack to keep her 2016 goals.

“Weight loss and getting in shape [are my goals for this year],” Green said. “My personal idea was we set the goal, we start them on Jan. 1. Then, we fail somewhere between Jan. 1 and Jan. 31, most of the time. So, what I did was I decided that I would have multiple reboots of my New Year’s resolution. Instead of saying it’s a failure, I would say, ‘OK, there’s a glitch in the matrix and I’m going to reboot.’ … That’s probably my best advice for people.”

The UTRGV Counseling Center offers services to students that can help improve their mental and physical health.

Maria Mazariegos, counseling specialist II, encourages the UTRGV community to seek help in improving various life elements such as time and stress management, health and wellness, and better study habits.

“My suggestion would be to visualize your goal,” Mazariegos said. “Write it down. Share your goals with other people so that they can hold you accountable. Be open and proud about it.”

Mazariegos’ strategy aims to keep goals small and attainable while also maintaining a comfortable pace. She suggests writing down all progress and celebrating small achievements.

Senior Monique Castillo achieved her goal of running a 5k marathon in November 2015. The psychology major has set a similar resolution for this year.

“I want to run another marathon, but I want to beat my time from last year,” Castillo said.

She continues to train and is determined to achieve her goal for a consecutive year.

Students, faculty and staff seeking to exercise and work on their physical fitness can visit the UTRGV University Wellness and Recreational Sports Complex in Edinburg or the Texas Southmost College Recreation Center in Brownsville using a UTRGV ID.

For more information about the UREC’s and TSC’s Recreation Center hours of operation, call 665-7808 in Edinburg and 882-7176 in Brownsville.