New year, new me.
Many say this timeless phrase, but who will actually keep their word? Setting New Year’s resolutions is a tradition many people participate in as a way to build upon a skill, break a bad habit or experience something different, but not everyone follows through.
English teacher Jamie Hayes said she wanted to build on her resolution last year of reading 35 books with a new goal of reading 50 books in 2024, which she is on track to complete.
Her love for reading has also influenced other people in her life, she added.
“My husband even set a reading goal this year,” she said. “His was to read a book a month.”
With her busy schedule, Hayes said it can be difficult to find time to open a book.
“It gets hard because obviously I have to read a lot for my job,” she explained.
Setting a specific goal with a strict time limit reminds her to free time for herself and read, she explained.
Sophomore Bess Hodge went a different route: she wanted to have better eating habits, she said.
“I created a TikTok account where I post myself trying and rating new foods: @bess_trys,” she added.
Hodge said she has been a picky eater her whole life, and she wanted to expand her diet.
“I wanted to improve my eating habits so I could be healthier and eat different foods at restaurants,” she explained.
Support from her friends, family and TikTok followers helped her throughout the process, she added.
Junior George Ramsden said he wanted to reduce his screen time, specifically on Snapchat and Instagram. He explained he felt the start of 2024 was the perfect time to achieve this.
“I’ve wasted so much time on these apps, and I wanted to be more productive with my time,” Ramsden added.
To accomplish his goal, he said he set a screen time limit on both apps, and after exceeding it, a notification reminds him to take a break from his phone.
Spanish teacher Lauren Robbins said she noticed she was easily distracted when notifications would appear on her lock screen. She explained her goal for 2024 was to minimize her cell phone usage.
“I wanted to be more present when I was with friends and family,” she added.
Robbins said she utilizes the “Do Not Disturb” feature to achieve her goal.
“My phone hasn’t come off of ‘Do Not Disturb’ for the whole year,” she explained. “It’s really changed how much I use my phone.”
However, Robbins said some of her other resolutions were not as successful. She explained she wanted to stop snoozing her alarm in the morning but has had some trouble reaching this goal.
“That’s something I’ve tried to do since high school,” she added.
Although Robbins hasn’t completed all resolutions, she said she loves to set them and recommends others to do it too.
“I think reflecting on the past year and setting goals based on what happened in the previous year is super healthy,” she explained. “Whether you keep them or not, I think goal setting is a good idea.”
