In 2019 we’re all going to work on being healthier and pick up a new hobby, right? (Or maybe you’re more of a realist than the rest of us).

But we’re also making it a goal to cross some things off our Soda City bucket list in the new year – whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’re new in town, here are a few COLA-style New Years resolutions.

🚲Get in some fitness + leave your car at home by renting a BlueBikeSC for a leisurely ride or to run errands downtown on your lunch break. The opportunities are endless.

🎨Visit all of our museums (including the largest museum in the Southeast – the South Carolina State Museum).
📖 Two birds with one stone: become well-read by utilizing Richland Library’s many campuses to check out the hottest books of the year – or learn a new hobby like sewing, bird watching or woodworking.
👩‍ Mentor through local orgs like the Mayor’s Mentoring Network or South Carolina Mentor.

🌳Get into nature by hiking at Congaree National Park, or jogging along the Palmetto Trail. See our guide to local trails here.

🚬 Quit smoking. Try a free smoking cessation class in the New Year.
⛵ Rent a pontoon boat on Lake Murray.

🗺 Venture off Main St. and find hidden gems in Lexington or Northeast Columbia. Plan a road trip to Greenville + Charleston by using our #RoadTrip guides.
☕ Find a new go-to coffee shop (we recommend checking out Indah, Curiosity + The Local Buzz)
🐶 Adopt or foster an animal who needs a home.

💰 Start saving. Open a retirement account or a savings account for your kid.
🚌 Try a new mode of travel: use Cola’s free Soda Cap Connector or catch The COMET + utilize public transit when possible.

🤝 Volunteer. Get matched up with opportunities on United Way of the Midlands’ volunteer portal.
🍳Learn how to cook something new at Let’s Cook Culinary Studio or with local ingredients found at the winter farmers market at the Parkade Center.

What are your COLA resolutions? Let us know by commenting below. In a few months, we’ll check back in to see if you’re still sticking to them (just kidding – this is a no judgment zone).

Here at COLAtoday, we live + breathe our city. But, there are still things for us to explore.

As always, we want to hear from you – what’s on your New Years’ to-do list? Reply to this email to let us know.

–The COLAtoday team