New Year, same resolutions

Only a few short weeks ago we rang in the new year by posting celebratory photos on instagram, hugging and kissing friends and staying up into the wee hours of the morning. Another standard that comes with welcoming the new year…feeling a renewed sense of purpose and drive.  And just like any other year, that means making a New Year’s Resolution.

But do we live up to our own expectations?

Through the years, New Year’s Resolutions have become a worldwide tradition. Statistics from Forbes have shown that a little over half of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions; however, only eight percent of people achieve their New Year’s Resolution goals and over 31 percent of resolutions are broken before the beginning of spring. Forbes also stated that some people feel that the reason resolutions fail is because people do not put in the effort in order for them to be successful.

The origin of New Year’s festivities started about 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylon. Babylonians started off the year making promises to their Gods that they would pay all of their debts and borrowed objects. Over the years, these promises were later named New Year’s Resolutions.

Like the rest of the world, students at SHS have varied opinions on the effectiveness of New Year’s Resolutions.

Autumn Hayes, SHS senior, feels people most likely only participate in making a list of things they can change for the new year simply because it is a world tradition.

“I think resolutions are a waste of time because you shouldn’t wait for a certain day to change yourself,” Hayes said. “If a change is really what you want then it won’t need to be proclaimed on a certain day and announced. They are not effective because everyone goes back to their normal selves.”

Like Hayes, SHS sophomore, Gabrielle Brown-Mitchell, isn’t a strong believer in New Year’s Resolutions. She explained that because it is a new year, that means a fresh start and the meaning of change; however, making a change in behavior is fairly difficult because habits can at times prevent individuals from keeping their resolution.

“Some of them are effective and some of them aren’t because if you really want to do it, you don’t have to do it due to the start of the new year to make a change for the better,” Brown-Mitchell said.

Many years people stick to the same resolutions such as becoming more organized, losing weight, improving their financial situations, and spending more time with family. This year some students have said they would like to make actual resolutions they know they can achieve for 2016. Deja Williams, senior at SHS, stated that because this is her senior year she wants to make some long-lasting memories and is setting goals for herself.

“Making it through my second semester of high-school with no distractions, being more appreciative of things, surrounding myself with positive people, losing a few pounds before prom and graduating are a few of the big things on my list this year,” Williams said. “I know I can do it and accomplish these believable resolutions.”

People set goals in life so they have something to strive and work towards. If 2016 is such a year of change, and people would like their resolutions to succeed, then many may want to consider the science of happiness and research behind it.

Adam Grant, is a highly rated tenured professor a professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a professor and a researcher on motivation, success and behavior. In an article published by CNN, Grant stated that instead of focusing on getting rid of a certain behavior, people should focus on the positive ones that they would like to perform throughout the year, and they would potentially be able to carry out the idea of having better luck. CNN justifies expert Grant’s work which concludes the underlying truth for one’s resolution to succeed comes from motivation.

There are SHS students that believe sending out positive vibes and setting goals in life can lead to positive outcomes.

Senior at SHS, Elijah Lacey, believes there is effectiveness in resolutions, and it is a good idea for people to continue the tradition to try and change their lives for the better.

“It’s all mental,” Lacey said. “When you are positive and can write goals for yourself verbally and physically, it’s statistically proven that mentally you do believe you can achieve the goal you had set out for yourself.”