New year, new me? Along with the recent trend of “Ins and Outs,” this is a common question many people will start to ask themselves as they near the first of January. A time for reinvention, the new year allows many people to change their way of life and turn a new leaf. The number of gym memberships skyrocket and workout classes will be packed to the brim. Most people will dwindle over time, giving up their new selves; however, some will stay strong. This can bring into question the whole concept of the new year and whether it is a time for self-improvement or just an excuse for putting off losing a bad habit for a few more months.

As New Year’s haters ourselves, people are using the inevitable start of another year to wait to start their new workout regime or to stop their bad habits until 12:01 on New Year’s Day. If there is something you are really hoping to change, why not start right then? When asked about his resolution Keaton Murray replied saying that people should make resolutions faster rather than waiting for the New Year and “do it whenever you think of it.” We would agree with this statement. If you have something you want to give up or start doing it will never hurt to start the next day.

Jack Troy and Keaton Murray

Another reason people might despise New Year’s is because of the stigma around self-improvement and the pressure to change from the beginning to the end of the year. People can feel forced to think of a resolution just because that is what everyone else is doing. If there is nothing you feel you need to change in your life why make a resolution? Also, many individuals might feel like they have to look different or act differently across the span of the year as well. Again, if you are satisfied with your life the way it is, there should be no pressure to become a different person. If it isn’t broken why fix it?

However, many people dial into the buzz around New Year’s. Giving up soda or trying to get better sleep, the new year allows people to become who they have always wanted to be. Whether they keep the habit up or drop it by January 10th, many people enjoy the idea of trying to start on the right foot in the new year. Although we said that we tend to not love the idea of resolutions, it is good for people to improve themselves and their lifestyles even if they wait for the New Year to do it. Who knows, maybe they will be a part of the 9% of people who keep their resolutions all year long.

During the season of New Year’s, we have always loved taking a glimpse into our lives the year prior and seeing how our lives have both changed and stayed the same. It is fun to reminisce about the vacations and everything that we did with both my family and friends. Crafting an Instagram or TikTok post to think back to your fond memories of the past year can also be a fun New Year’s activity, making you feel grateful for what you have experienced in your life. On the other hand, for people who had a terrible year, a resolution can be the first step to a brighter future and a better year. Setting goals for yourself is always beneficial when you can pinpoint what went amiss in the year prior.

So, Chloe and I decided to roam the halls to find out what y’all’s resolutions were this year. We saw a common theme of school-related resolutions this year as Jack Troy, Rory Leech, Nikos Paraschos, Griggs Scott, and ninth-grader Christian all chose to focus on improving their grades. Christian said, “I want to become more vertically and academically inclined.” This resolution is a package deal, and, considering his young age, I see lots of potential for a growth spurt and a better report card. Similarly, Michi Zheng and Molly Tombs both aim to stop procrastinating this year, and I know if kept up with, this goal will be beneficial to their academic successes. While not totally grade-related, Charlotte Halford hopes to just attend school on time. We all know traffic can be crazy in the mornings, but aiming to leave a few minutes earlier to get to school before the late bell rings sounds like it could be a stress reliever, especially if you want to avoid the wrath of your 1st block teachers.

Charlotte Halford and Maris Jones

Another common theme: driving. A whopping three people had resolutions in the realm of vehicle operation. Alexa Conlon said she wants to be a better driver, and as friends of hers this is a great goal considering she had a few minor incidents in 2023. With a similar resolution, Jackson Ethredge stated that he wanted to get in fewer wrecks, always a great goal to aim for. Carolina Carrara said she wanted to drive slower. Being safer and decreasing the risk of speeding tickets, this resolution is purely beneficial. Personally, I find myself getting upset with the drivers around me in Charleston (why are you driving 10 mph under the speed limit???), so my goal is to be more patient on the roads.

Carolina Carrara, Jackson Ethredge, and Alexa Conlon

For many seniors and one junior, thinking of a resolution related to college seemed popular. Maris Jones hopes to stay in touch with her friends after she moves away to college. Who would want to throw away four years of friendship just because they go to college, not Maris or anyone else I can think of. Milla Broadwater has a very simple but realistic resolution of just going to college, a great goal to focus on for any high schooler. Ambitious young track star, Peyton Johnson, plans on getting a college offer for track. College athlete life is not for everybody, so props to Peyton for getting on the right track to a D1 offer.

One of the most common resolutions amongst your peers and the world is related to eating habits and workout regimens. Madeline Moye and Sophia Easterbrook both hope to eat healthier in the new year. Sophia also has plans to work out more, a healthy lifestyle if I have ever seen one. Sousa Waggoner said she wants to drink more water, and with its long list of benefits, hydration is a great goal. Suzanna Carlsten plans to attend more hot yoga classes which is both a beneficial hobby and a workout. Piper Hudgins’ resolution was to “get her splits back.” She explained that she was a gymnast her whole life and quit two years ago, losing her ability to do a split with the departure from the sport. With some practice, all I see is the potential for Piper to split again. Both realistic and unique, Piper had one of my favorite resolutions on the list.

Some of these next responses were a little outside the box, but still seem like some great goals to work towards this year. Starting strong, Wilson Swenson wants to “connect with the Earth” after some reflection on the past year realizing he was too disconnected. I think this goal applies to most people as phones and technology have become such a big part of our social life, but this is a great goal and I might just have to work on this too! Next Zuriel Nyamutsaka hopes to stay goated in 2024 and I think it’s safe to say that that won’t be a problem for you, Zuriel. On the same track, Nate Markin’s goal is to be more swag this year and “stack that bread.” Simple, yet effective, Nate I hope you complete this goal in the new year.

While I’m not quite sure what this one means, Trayce wants to “become Mr. Olympia.” I had to do some research, but I found that Mr. Olympia is the winner of the professional men’s bodybuilding contest. This is definitely a unique resolution but I wish you the best of luck on this one, Trayce.

Simply put, Cliffie Manuel wants to get her life together. After further questioning, she revealed that her mom was her inspiration for this resolution, as it was something she told Cliffie just a few days ago. Who doesn’t love a motivational parent? Next up we have JL Silveston who hopes to shower once a day as he “only showers once a week as of right now” and hopes to “try to get better as the year goes on.” I think this sounds like a great idea, JL, and I’m sure your friends and peers will thank you for your improved hygiene habits. I also think someone else filled out the form for you.

Cliffie Manuel

Seniors, Harrison Crites and Blake Boyd share a theme in their resolutions: kindness. Harrison aims to be more inclusive and Blake aims to be nice to everyone. I hope y’all can stick to this resolution because everyone could use a little kindness these days.

Although we agree that if you think of something to better your life it is best to start the next day, creating a New Year’s resolution is a great way to go into 2024 with the right mindset, especially if it is a year full of change and new experiences like many of the seniors. A resolution is always a great way to stay level-headed and not become too overwhelmed in the next 365 days. Even if you give your resolution up after a few days or weeks, people who set goals for themselves are more likely to complete them in the long run. If you do not have a resolution yet, it is never too late to create one, even if it is in the middle of the year. There is no better time than now for self-improvement!

Along with the resolutions we wrote about, here are some honorable mentions along with the list of all of the responses that we received.

Honorable mentions:
Anonymous – listen to my best friend about boy advice
Gabby Do – cry less
Benjamin Conley – read more books
Mrs. Renes – Do less online shopping
Hannah Collins: less stressing out
Emelie Norton (9): keep hair healthy, “I feel like in the past 2 years i have totally fried my hair and now it’s growing back weird, so with the help of some products hopefully i’ll fix it this year!”
Kinsey: wake up earlier, be healthy, go to the gym

Jackson Ethredge – No car wrecks
Piper Hudgins – “To get my splits back” She did gymnastics her whole life until 2 years ago
Maris Jones- stay in touch with friends after everyone moves away to college
Charlotte Halford- show up to school on time
Milla Broadwater – Go to college
Keaton Murray – make resolutions faster/don’t wait until the new year to have a resolution just do it whenever you think of it ij
Jack Troy – be a better student
Peyton Johnson – get a college offer for track
Sousa Waggoner – drink more water
Michi Zheng – stop procrastinating
Alexa Conlon- be a better driver
Carolina Carrara- Drive slower
Cliffie Manuel – get my life together
Nikos – Get good grades
Molly Tombs: stop procrastinating
Sophia Easterbrook: eat healthier and work out more
Rory Leech: get better grades
Rowan Engkle: study more
Madeline Moye: eat better and study more for tests
Wilson Swenson: connect with the Earth, “I was too disconnected last year”
Suzanna Carlsten: go to yoga more
Harrison Crites: be more inclusive
Nate Markin: “I would personally like to stack that bread this year”, “I would also like to be more swag in general”
Trayce?: “Become Mr. Olympia”
Zuriel Nyamutsaka: to stay goated
JL Silveston: To shower once a day, “Only shower once a week as of right now. Will try to get better as the year goes on.”
Blake Boyd: to be nice to everyone
Griggs Scott: to get A’s and B’s only
Christian (9): “I want to become more vertically and academically inclined.”