Creative Ideas for a Graduation Party

If you plan on hosting a #graduation party this year, get creative! Try filling a piñata with assorted fun-sized treats and rolled-up dollar-bill “diplomas,” says Fun Squared, or bake up a batch of “smart cookies.” Good gifts include a do-it-yourself laundry starter kit for college (laundry bag, detergent and quarters), or a new wallet with a gift card inside. Make a cash bouquet or garland to help get the grad off on the right foot, or fold bills into mini tassel caps. Anything that helps ease the graduate into adult life (and helps avoid crippling debt) will be appreciated.

Simple Resolutions Can Create Positivity

Instead of the typical (and often difficult) vows to lose weight, quit smoking and save money, BuzzFeed suggests “10 No-Brainer New Year’s Resolutions” that anyone can try to improve time management and social interactions in 2018. Among them are writing thank-you notes, calling family members back, drinking more water, learning to take a compliment and not looking at your phone when dining with friends. Finally, the article advises, celebrate the things that don’t need to change by taking the time to do something you love at least once a week.

To Keep a Resolution, Start Small

Start small if you want to keep a New Year’s resolution. The top reason people abandon their goals for self-improvement is that they set their expectations too high—targeting a pie-in-the-sky figure of 20 pounds lost, for example, or $1, 000 saved. Instead, “Start with very, very small steps, ” Dr. Lina Shihabuddin, a psychiatrist and chief medical officer at RWJBarnabas Health in West Orange, N.J., told USA Today. Otherwise, you can get frustrated and give up on your goals altogether.