Students struggle with 2020 New Year’s resolutions

PHOTO: Many people make fitness related New Year’s resolutions, which can include eating healthier, going on more walks and getting more muscular. 

By Caroline Chilcott,

BlueDeviHUB.com Staff–

As the new year begins, many people start thinking of the perfect New Year’s resolution. Whether it’s getting more muscular, doing better in school or trying to be more environmentally conscious, these resolutions have the ability to help everyone start out on the right foot.

According to Judy Caplan, a nutritionist and dietetic, “New Year’s resolutions are always a good idea. A fresh start and a clean canvas provide an opportunity for change. Change can be a rocky road with many bumps along the way. The key to achieving success is to not give up,” Caplan said. 

While many people make resolutions, they are often not kept for the entire year as initially planned. Sophomore Paige Carlock was one of the dedicated few who was able to keep her resolution last year. “My 2019 New Year’s resolution was to improve my physical health and fitness. I achieved this by increasing how often I exercise and changing my eating habits,” Carlock said. 

Like Carlock, many people make fitness or health-related resolutions for the new year. 

Junior Philip Langreck made a resolution for this year that involves exercising more often. “My resolution is to work out every day. I’m going to keep this resolution by doing my normal workout routine, which involves weights and cardio, every single day,” Langreck said. Langreck chose this health-related resolution because he wants to improve upon himself in the new year. 

Most students hope to get better grades for the second semester and new year; sophomore Oliver Mahoney is one of those students. “My resolution for 2019 was to get better grades and study more. My grades weren’t great for semester one [of the 2018-19 school year], but by semester two I had all A’s,” Mahoney said. 

While many people make resolutions, some decide not to because they have a hard time keeping them. In fact, according to John C. Norcross, a University of Scranton psychology professor, “while about 40 percent of Americans set resolutions around Jan. 1, about 40 percent to 44 percent of them will be successful at six months,” Norcross said.

Junior Olivia Waldren has had a hard time fulfilling her New Year’s resolutions from the past years, so this year she decided not to make any. “I didn’t make a new year’s resolution because I feel like I tend not to keep them. I tend to find myself setting goals for myself and not being fully focused on completing them, so I don’t [complete them],” Waldren said. 

Although not everyone is able to accomplish their New Year’s resolutions, certain people find setting resolutions helpful in order to keep them focused for the new year.

Junior Cameron Hussey Thompson believes that New Year’s resolutions have the ability to keep one focused for the new year. “I think that [New Year’s resolutions] are good because they can help be a motivating factor in your life. [They are] kind of like another voice in your head that reminds you to stay on track,” Hussey Thompson said.