Each Dec. 31, people reminisce on the events of the past 365 days and also think about what to expect in the new year. The stroke of midnight is an entire new beginning and a the time to start thinking of resolutions for the new year.
Whether it be fitness, money or relationships, people strive to be different in the new year. Unfortunately, not everyone can stick to their plan and the spark started on Jan. 1 soon fizzles. According to forbes.com, only eight percent of people achieve their resolutions.
It can be hard trying to keep up with resolutions, especially if you’re trying to break old habits and routines. The following Georgia State students share their outlook on New Years and how they try to accomplish their resolutions.
Youngwoo Gim, sophomore
Do you believe in making New Year’s resolutions?
“I do and I don’t. First of all, whenever I make a resolution at the beginning of the year, I say to myself, ‘Don’t worry too much.’ I think about it when I’m in a predicament. I think about the phrase ‘Don’t worry too much’ and it will help a lot,” she said.
What were your resolutions for 2014?
“My resolutions for last year were to study hard, talk to more people and get to know them better and try to find myself within the community. In order to achieve my goals, I tried to get involved more so she could interact with people.”
How do you try to maintain your resolutions through the year?
“I get peer pressured so I’m going to do what people are doing around me. For instance, my friends ask me to study with them and it motivates me to want to do better.”
What are your resolutions for this upcoming year?
“I change my resolutions every year. For 2015, my resolutions will be to find out what I want to do and don’t be afraid to be independent. As I’m getting closer to graduating from college, I need to find what I really want to do. In order to do that I need to think optimistically about my future.”
Daniel Copeland, sophomore
What is your opinion on resolutions?
“I think all types of goals are really healthy to have, new year resolutions especially just because it gives you a chance to reflect on the previous year and move forward with the next knowing what you can do better.
Have you made in resolutions yourself for next year?
“I haven’t made any resolutions for the next year. For this last year my resolution was to go the gym more. I did because when you don’t go to the gym at all, it’s easier to go more. For this next year I really haven’t thought about it yet but it will probably be getting more involved in school, on and off-campus stuff.
Antoinette Richards, junior
How did you keep up with your resolution from last year?
“I just tried to be very active about it, getting together with people to go to the gym and finding ways to make it more entertaining.”
What does a resolution mean to you?
“[It’s] something you’re suppose to dedicate to in order to make you a better person.”
What do you do to accomplish your goals for the year?
“How I keep up with my resolutions from the beginning to the end of the year is constant reminders and my close friends motivating me to push through.”
How do you think resolutions affect you?
“If you actually stick with resolutions, you feel better when you actually accomplish your goals.”
New Year’s resolutions do not happen overnight. However, it is possible to accomplish your goals in the span of one year. Here are some ways to get everything you want out of 2015.
Health Resolutions
Take baby steps
Do not overwhelm yourself at the beginning. Many people make the mistake of buying a gym membership on the first day of the year and then end up sitting on the couch eating a whole sleeve of Oreos three weeks later and hoping they will do better next year. Instead of going full throttle with a new work out schedule, take it slow.
Start by taking the stairs and not the elevator to get to classes. Try to exercise once to twice a week for thirty minutes and then start increasing when you’re comfortable. Once you start setting a schedule for yourself, you will eventually see results.
Alternative food choices
Do not fall in the trap of fast and easy dieting. It is unhealthy and usually does not have long term results. Gradually change your eating habits by cutting back on unhealthy foods and replacing them with a better alternatives such as fruits or foods low in sodium.
Stop eating when you’re bored; find other things to do to preoccupy your time. Cut out the late night meals. This can be difficult when you’re trying to pull an all-nighter for a midterm, but do not eat too heavy of foods at 2 a.m. Your metabolism has slowed down, therefore it will be harder to lose the late night weight.
Cook more food instead of buying food because you can control how much sodium and fat you are intaking.
Strength in numbers
It is easier to accomplish a goal if there are people doing it with you. Work out with someone who is also trying to make a health resolution so you can both motivate each other to stay on track.
If a gym offers session with personal trainers, make an appointment with one so you know exactly what areas to focus on in your work out and not over strain yourself. Having other people believe in you makes it easier for you to believe in yourself.
Worry about your health, not weight
People fixate on the number on the scale and not overall results. Have a goal weight in mind, but do not obsess over it and weigh yourself every day. Worry about how you fit in your clothes and not what a number tells you. Being comfortable and confident about how you look is the only important thing.
Social Resolutions
Get involved
The easiest way to meet more people is be around more people. Join more student organizations that you have an interest in to become more social. Go to a club fair when the new semester begins; most clubs at State will have a table set up so you can talk to people in the different organizations.
Do not be afraid to join a club you do not know much about; it could end up being really fun.
Step away from technology
Yes, sometimes it may seem like a better idea to finish a whole season in one day on Netflix instead of socializing with the outside world, but you cannot do that for a week straight.
Stop being a slave to social media and unshackle yourself from your phone or laptop for a few hours. When you are out to dinner with your friends, do not to look at your phone throughout the whole conversation. Dedicate more time in the day to making a deep connection in person, not just liking someone’s picture on Instagram.
Stop saying no
Get out of your comfort zone a little bit by trying new things. You shouldn’t necessarily go skydiving if you are not ready, but do not be afraid to try a new fun thing if someone asks you to join them.
Think about an activity you always wanted to try and do it in 2015, of course if it is completely safe and legal. This can be the year to stop making excuses.
Financial resolutions
Budget
This may be one of the hardest because most young adults are financially inept. Start at the beginning of the year and prioritize what to spend your money on. Is that new leather jacket amazing? Absolutely. Do you need it? Most likely, no.
Set weekly goals of how much money you would like to spend. Having cash in hand is a better way to actually know the amount of money you have because you can keep track of your spending easier than swiping your credit card.
Write it down
Take a minute to write down your financial goals to make them appear more realistic. When you write out the resolutions, it is easier to visualize them actually happening.
If you want to save up money for Spring Break or a music festival, know how much you need to save each month in order to reach your goal. Put your resolutions on post-it notes and place them in noticeable spots such as your bathroom mirror or bedside table so you can have a daily reminder of next year’s goals.
