New Year’s resolutions to get more sleep or go to lectures for the classes you fought a criminally-late enrollment time for are noble, but I suggest adding smaller everyday goals too. 

My lifelong fascination with Harry Potter has led me to explore all sorts of behind-the-scenes insights—one of my favorites being Emma Watson’s lifestyle tips. In 2020, I found out that she used DHC Double Protection Mascara on the movies’ sets because it is uniquely water-resistant in cold temperatures but washes off easily with warm water. This proved true, and now I always twin with Emma Watson and use DHC mascara. 

Tiny habits like this that I’ve collected throughout my life add a lot to my day-to-day happiness. Keep reading to learn 25 little things I plan to continue doing in 2025 — maybe they’ll brighten up your year too! 

1. Look at the ocean every day. It offers some good perspective, and I find it easier to think while watching the waves crash. Our campus’s unique proximity to the ocean offers easy viewing spots everywhere, such as OceanView Terrace in Thurgood Marshall College, Eighth College’s upper floors and study rooms, and the classic Torrey Pines Gliderport.
2. Acquire an electric kettle. Then, get a few boxes of tea and some milk and honey. You will have the best and easiest tea set up. To offer your friends a cup of tea when they come over is a lost art in my opinion. My favorite combination: Trader Joe’s — sadly seasonal — pumpkin spice rooibos tea with their brown sugar oat milk creamer, and honey.  
3. Keep raw honey around. Besides being delicious in a cup of tea, it’s a miracle worker for sore throats, antibacterial when applied topically to small wounds, and has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties as a facemask! 
4. Play “We’re Not Really Strangers.” This card game features questions like, “How would you describe me to a stranger?” and “How do our personalities complement each other?” It’s perfect for getting a little bit closer to your friends or an unsuspecting Hinge date. You can find most decks for free on Quizlet or purchase the cardset!
5. Listen to albums from start to finish! Dim the lights, get cozy, and grab your earbuds or a record player. Alternatively, gather your friends for a listening party! My favorite start-to-finish albums are Hozier’s “Unreal Unearth,” TV Girl’s “French Exit,” and Phoebe Bridgers’ “Punisher,” or for a lore deep dive, Ethel Cain’s “Preacher’s Daughter.”
6. Follow @nao_ki_1221 on Instagram. They post adorable deer from Nara Park in Nara, Japan. The deer always brighten my day, and at this point, I consider them part of my inner circle.
7. Try more toppings at Blue Bowl in Sixth. I beg you. It’s disheartening to see people leave with just a little bit of almond butter on their bowl. Try a little date syrup, raspberry powder, pomegranate seeds, maybe a couple mulberries or goji berries, or some toasted coconut. Let the flavor symphony commence. 
8. Get a big bag of those mini oranges. They’re perfect for snacking on throughout the day or sharing with friends. As a sophomore, I learned the hard way that the Freshman Flu is still a threat, so extra vitamin C is welcomed.
9. Stop and ask if you can pet people’s dogs (and cats, perhaps?) more often. Older people, especially, love to chat about their pets, so you’ll be brightening more than just your own day.
10. Expand your fun drink scope. When I need a midterm pick-me-up in Geisel my go-tos on campus include GT’s Synergy Lemon Berry Kombucha, Naked Blue Machine Juice, and Guayaki’s Enlighten Mint Yerba Mate. Also, make an effort to try the silly coffee specials at local coffee shops; baristas usually have great recommendations.
11. Use that Spin scooter. Give yourself the freedom to use a Spin scooter when you’re running late. ​​It’s not cringey; don’t let the naysayers keep you from spinning. 
12. Eat more Japanese sweet potatoes. They are softer and nuttier than normal sweet potatoes and so easy to cook. Pop them in an oven and enjoy plain — they’re just that good! 
13. Make your phone a little kinder to your developing brain. Switch to night mode to ditch the blue light that’s disrupting your sleep schedule. Try the grayscale setting when using social media to help combat its addictive use of colors. Swap social media doomscrolling for apps like HayDay, which I’ve been a loyal fan of since elementary school. To make your phone a little more creative, make a 2025 vision board on Pinterest and add some uplifting quotes or pictures as widgets on your phone to help you and your brain stay positive and motivated throughout the day. 
14. Get a disposable camera. In my opinion, film is the best way to capture that special feeling in a moment. Not being able to retake or see pictures right away makes the experience unique. Disposable cameras make a phone detox a little easier as well! 
15. Start journaling! Let your inner Wimpy Kid shine and write letters to your future self.  Stick silly stuff in there, like ticket stubs from good movies, stickers that come on fruit, or tea-bag papers. You can find fun and creative prompts on Pinterest!
16. Take vlogs or voice memos of special moments in your life. Record food taste tests and try on hauls. Making the “what I do in a day” videos is a fun way to get out of your dorm and capture UCSD’s best views and food.
17. Keep flowers around! I always find myself happier when I have flowers in my dorm. As they wilt, press them in between paper towels, place them under that unused textbook the syllabus said to buy, and let them sit! They’re a perfect addition to any wall, journal, gift, or card. To keep them 3D, tie a string around the bouquet and hang it upside down. 
18. Frequent farmers markets! San Diego has one happening almost every day. Go for lunch and pick up some fresh produce (perhaps even some flowers). I love the Ocean Beach Farmers Market for the most amazing jerk chicken, thrifting, and sunset view. 
19. Learn to identify some constellations! On days with a lower cloud cover, head to Gliderport for that daily ocean view and look for constellations like the Big and Little Dipper and Orion.
20. Write poetry. If you don’t think you’re a natural-born poet, start with a haiku, which has a specific five-seven-five syllabic structure. Once you get going, it’s like that quote about physics and love by Tumblr user sketiana: “everything sings.” 
21. Make your dorm room homier. My Trader Joe’s plant collection, warm light bulbs, rug, printed film pictures, and posters inexpensively printed at Fedex have made my dorm room one of my favorite places on campus.  
22. Exercise outside, when possible. Tired of running into everyone and their mother in the RIMAC weight room? Expand your movement repertoire with RIMAC’s SunRISE Yoga Classes, which include mindfulness practices, or some hiking trails. I recommend the ones through the eucalyptus trees by Canyon Vista, the Scripps Coast Meander Trail by Caroline’s Seaside Cafe, and of course all the hikes in Torrey Pines. 
23. Make handmade gifts! My favorites are burned CDs, handmade cards, origami, decorated wrapping paper, art with dried flowers, and friendship bracelets — perfect for Valentine’s or Galentine’s gifts! For inspiration, return to the peak era of the Internet: 2016 DIY Youtube craft videos.
24. Take every opportunity to enjoy live music. UCSD offers plenty of free shows for students at the Epstein Family Amphitheater, The Loft, Conrad Prebys Music Center, and the Ché Cafe. Also important: enjoy live music in genres you don’t normally listen to, I find it a great way to be introduced to new music.   
25. Last but not least: write down three good things about your day, every day. This is another thing I learned from Emma Watson. Write your three good things down privately or find a friend to exchange with daily. When I started doing this, I noticed a quick change in my day-to-day positivity. If you had to pick one resolution from this list to try, I would love for it to be this. 

I hope a few of these mini-resolutions add a little ease and whimsy into your life! Happy 2025; may your new year be filled with mini oranges, Spin scooters, and Blue Bowl mulberries!