Every new year starts with the same cycle: a burst of motivation, a list of ambitious goals, and then the inevitable struggle to keep working towards these goals past January. For about the first two months of the year, the most popular conversation topic is about new years resolutions and goals for the year ahead.
For many people, the new year is a chance to get back to hobbies pushed aside due to busy schedules. Melanie Tao is looking to get back in touch with her creative side, wanting to dedicate more time to drawing in the upcoming year.
“I didn’t have time before, and I’m sad without drawing. Drawing makes me happy,” she said.
Tao plans on using weekends to catch up on her art, but admits that time management is going to be a challenge.
“The hardest part is finding enough time, or taking enough time, to do what I like to do,” Tao said.
While some are hoping to boost creativity this year, others, like Allie Munoz, are resolving to improve academic habits, such as procrastination.
“I want to learn how to study and not procrastinate. I’ve never really studied, and that led to bad or late grades,” Munoz said.
To succeed this year, Munoz is attempting to cut back on screen time, recognizing that her phone is one of her biggest distractions.
“The hardest part of achieving my resolution is my phone,” Munoz said, “because I’m more likely to start doomscrolling.”
Another common theme for resolutions this year seems to be independence, with students like Luna Abouamin hoping to gain more independence by earning her driver’s license.
“One of my resolutions for this year is to get my driver’s license. It would make life easier in terms of getting places,” Abouamin said.
While she has already started working towards her goal, Abouamin realizes that it will be both mentally and physically challenging.
“I think the biggest struggle will be sticking to it, and not giving up when I make a mistake,” she said.
The problem with resolutions usually isn’t the goal itself, but is actually the lack of a sustainable plan. If you find yourself struggling to keep up with your resolution, try these strategies:
