OPED: Not too late for New Year’s resolutions

By Cece Cannata,
Bluedevilhub.com Staff–

It’s a new year, the perfect time to turn the page in your life and start fresh, which explains why many people make New Year’s resolutions during the holidays. Even if most don’t follow through, the motivating mindset is a great way to start 2016.

According to a study conducted at the University of Scranton, the top three resolutions for 2016 are losing weight, getting organized and spending less. Students in particular can always work on organization and money management, and it’s definitely not too late to start.

After finishing a long, relaxing break, students can “restart” their grades at the beginning of the second semester on Jan. 5. Now that you know your classes better, try some new organization techniques that might work better for you.

I find that being organized helps immensely in my classes. It’s one less thing to worry about when you know where all your assignments and homework are. It might be hard to try and improve later this year, so make it a resolution!

Spending money can also be a big issue for Davis High students, from constantly going to lunch, hanging out after school and stopping for warm drinks in the morning. Try limiting yourself: set a certain amount of money to spend a week or every few days.

Although resolutions aren’t always successful, they’re still worth a shot. The same study mentioned earlier also found people who clearly made resolutions were 10 times more likely to meet their goals than people who don’t, so why not try?

Some people overthink their resolutions and try to achieve glorious lifestyle changes, but effective resolutions can be subtle. Taking spending as an example: if your resolution is to save money, start out by setting aside five dollars a week. If it’s working out, add a little more money to your jar and continue.

It hasn’t even been a full week of 2016, so you aren’t behind. Start now, make a list, try some changes and take advantage of the new year.