New year, new you. That’s the overwhelming yet motivating thought that many of us have around the time of the new calendar year. Goal setting, reflections, and a fresh start seem to define January as it kicks off the new year.
Milo Richard ‘28 explained that his New Year’s resolution is to “start journaling”. He added, “Journaling is a way to reflect on things that are happening in the world, and [a place for] goals I want to set in the future.”
Similarly to Richard, Jacqueline Dunlap ‘27 would also like to reflect this year and “be more positive.” Dunlap noted that “changing your ways and becoming better in the new year” is the aspect of resolutions that is most meaningful to her.
Although many people choose one or two New Year’s resolutions, others enjoy setting multiple goals. CJ Eckhardt, Junior Grade Dean and Associate Director of College Counseling, described her plan for the new year: “I’ve kind of spun the wheel a little bit, and I do a bingo card…of things that I’d like to accomplish over the year.” Jones added, “I did that [for the first time] last year, and I found myself accomplishing more tasks.”
Liam Cox ‘27 wants to “become more at home” this year as he studied abroad in Spain during the fall semester. “I just [want to] try to soak in all of it. That makes home my home for me,” he noted.
Despite setting reflective goals for the new year, people sometimes don’t succeed in pursuing their resolutions throughout the entire year. According to Stella Reed ‘28, “People don’t like to change. A lot of them just say that they’re going to change, and then it’s hard to stick with it and keep a routine.” Dunlap agreed, sharing that following through with New Year’s resolutions all year can be “really time-consuming.”
As January closes, it is important to take time to consider goals for the new year. For some, they used the new year as the time to establish their aspirations for the new year, which Eckhardt remarked is “kind of like a forced opportunity to say, ‘all right, this is my Monday.’” But personal goals or achievements can be set at any point during the year. Often, choosing a time that is not exactly on January 1st can be more motivating and potentially more likely to pursue resolutions for a longer time.
In Eckhardt’s words, it is better to set goals for yourself “frequently and more organically throughout the year…the reality is life just happens.”
