We’re a week into the new year already. The new year is often seen as a time to reflect on what happened the past year and make goals for the new year ahead. As one semester of school is ending and another beginning here in mid January, it’s also another reason to reflect back and makes new goals.

As we look back hopefully we see how much we have grown as a person. We often hear the saying, “New year new me?” It is a quite common saying that most people state in hopes of growing more in the coming year and creating a better version of themselves.

Many students and staff celebrate the new year in different ways. For junior Sam T he typically spends it with family. “On New Year’s I usually like to spend time with family and friends. We usually eat dinner on Christmas and New Year’s Eve and watch the New York ball drop in New York’s Times square  to bring in the New Year. Beforehand I am usually at my church’s new year’s celebration service before heading back home for the ball drop.”

Besides celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of a new with family and friends,  another favorite or least favorite tradition is the concept of the New Year’s Resolutions.

People use the closing year as a blueprint for what they’d like to achieve in the next year and use it as a fresh start to form better habits. More exercise, prioritizing mental health, better academics and work habits, and other goals are among the most common New Year’s Resolutions. However, some people oppose resolutions because they have trouble managing them. So, should New Year’s Resolutions remain a tradition?

Kenwood math teacher, Ms. Domsic doesn’t do New Year’s Resolutions anymore. “I have long given up on New Year’s resolutions because I am not good at making achievable goals and putting a plan in place to achieve them. It just makes me feel disappointed when I don’t meet those goals year after year,” she shares.

No matter how we celebrated the transitioning of another year ending and another beginning or whether we believe New Year’s Resolutions are a thing of the past or not, we hope everyone has a great 2023.