Following through on New Year’s resolutions
Mackenzie Golomski’ 24 hard work.
January 22, 2022
Since the new 2022 year has finally approached, many have made a New Year’s resolution. New Year’s resolutions can feel as though they are burdens when they are not reached. There is a wide variety of what a New Year’s resolution can look like, from eating healthier to doing better in school. It is essential to anyone who wants to take their resolutions seriously to make efficient plans, schedules, and reach out for help if need be.
If the term, “New Year’s resolution” is new to you, this is a chance to learn about them and make plans for other personal resolutions.
From a sample of 20 seniors at St. Joseph’s Academy, 75 percent claim to have previously made plans for their resolutions at least one week in advance. In contrast, 10 percent of the seniors made their resolutions either on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, or the day after, while the remaining 5 percent did not make any specific resolutions.
Senior Olivia Reckamp incorporated studying more into her New Year’s resolution.
“I made the final decision to do more studying for my classes about a week before New Year’s Eve. I didn’t make any resolutions last year, and so for senior year, I decided that it could be fun. Following through with studying more has been somewhat challenging because of how much homework I get in each class, but so far, my resolution is going pretty well,” she said.
Not knowing how to follow through with a resolution is not uncommon, and it is okay to be struggling. There are multiple ways to improve the consistency of a resolution. The easiest way to get started is to make calendar events, reminders, tasks, etc., and to turn on the notifications to be reminded of each task. Asking for help from others– friends, family, teachers, coaches, etc., is another great way to hold oneself accountable for their own resolutions.
Senior Grace Dutch has often made resolutions, but has made them “an easy task” that can be accomplished in a short amount of time.
“This year, I decided to change that and really challenge myself. After Covid hit and we finally went back to school, I really wanted to make my grades the best that they can be, so I made more than one resolution. I started planning my resolutions in October, making smaller resolutions first, then moving to bigger resolutions after the New Year. Following through hasn’t always been easy, but reaching out to my friends, family, and teachers has helped me hold myself accountable,” she said.
Making a New Year’s resolution could be a great way to challenge oneself with trying new things. Sticking to schedules and holding yourself accountable is the most important tool to follow through on a resolution.
