New Year’s resolutions are a tradition many people follow for a fresh start and to set goals for self improvement. At the beginning of each year, people reflect on what they want to achieve or change. This practice shows the desire for growth and gives motivation. 

New Year’s resolutions are encouraging through looking at the new year like a fresh start, a chance to leave behind mistakes. The feeling of hope and motivation can be very powerful as it gives inspiration to take meaningful steps towards growth, and reminds people that change is possible. In AcLab on Jan. 12,  Together 4 Change put together a snowball activity for students to write down goals to focus on throughout the year. 

However, while resolutions have good intentions, they often face challenges. Key issues are the resolutions being too vague or overly ambitious, making them difficult to follow through. Without a clear plan or steps, it leads to frustration and abandonment of the goal. To increase success, resolutions should be specified, realistic, and broken down. Consistency over time is more valuable than perfection.