As the clock counts down to midnight on Dec. 31, 2021 and people across the nation vow to become better, a disheartening fact looms over the new year: over two-thirds of Americans will abandon their New Year’s Resolution within the first month. The overwhelming optimism from the first two weeks that motivates people to exercise more, spend less time on social media and study harder, gradually loses momentum and these resolutions prove to be unsustainable in the long term. Increased disillusionment with the “new year, new me” mindset has bled into recent statistics. According to CBS News, only 29% of Americans have set a resolution this year, compared to the 43% from the last year.
However, despite less than a third of the country having set these objectives, this group is more likely to have prepared properly and been realistic about their abilities. On campus, Pace students are also doing their best to commit to their 2022 goals, and although success is achievable in a variety of ways, many are undertaking set plans in order to encourage a better version of themselves to greet the new year.
Sophomore Priyanka Thotakura has declared that 2022 will be her year to catch up on her sleep, “I’ve been very sleep-deprived, and it’s important to recover, so I’m shooting for at least eight hours every night.” Her approach to set a clear number is backed by science, with sources such as Psychology Today stressing the importance of setting specific and measurable goals. However, it’s important not to fall into the all-or-nothing track: one night of failure to complete these eight hours could lead to a complete abandonment of the goal.
Junior Charlie Fleming is another example of a Pace student with clear determination to accomplish his resolutions: all A’s on his spring report card. Sophomore Drew Crumley shares a similar resolution, hoping that implementing more study time will allow for a higher grade in his chemistry class. His teacher Mr. Smentek even expressed that Crumbley “has continuously been making forward progress.”
Junior Davis McMillan’s resolution was both straightforward and concise: “it’s my year to secure the bag.” When asked about his plan to accomplish his resolution, the man of few words answered with a simple, “Don’t worry about it.” This objective seems to be a popular resolution, as Freshman Kai Cotton also answered that this was his year “to stop chasing girls and chase the money instead.” He continued to elaborate that this coming year is a fresh opportunity to focus on himself and “become a better person.”
However, as previously mentioned, resolutions are likely to fail unless the objective is reasonable and executed with purposeful habits, so the “fresh start” mentality might not be successful. Doctor Paula Pontes has decided to approach this year differently: “I am not setting resolutions, rather positive intentions. Intentions are kinder to yourself, because if you drop resolutions you feel bad.” This attitude of rejecting resolutions is becoming increasingly popular, as it prevents setting yourself up for disappointment. Breaking your objective down into a smaller goal and being gentle with yourself if you make a mistake is a healthier way to go about 2022.
Whether you are choosing to set a defined resolution or instead focusing on maintaining positive intentions, the start of this year is an occasion to refocus and accomplish anything you would like to. By establishing healthier habits and allowing yourself to slip up once in a while, you’ll be more likely to accomplish your objectives and consider the year a success by the next new year!