By: Sierra Hauer

   As the new year has rolled into motion, many people have resolutions on the top of their minds to make it better than previous years.

   Since 2020 was a challenging year for most, improvements are necessary. New Year’s resolutions can be a little nudge to start making the changes needed to foster a more successful experience.

   “I think people hope 2021 would be better,” senior Sarah Brautigam said. “We all want it to be a clean slate.”

   While having a clean slate mindset can be very beneficial, it is important to remember that there are always going to be bumps in the road. Especially with a pandemic, now is a time to remember that problems don’t just disappear if you ignore them.

   “Just because 2020 is over, it doesn’t mean that life is just going to magically go back to normal,” sophomore Abby Spino said.

   Despite this, there are always things that can be done to make issues more bearable. That is why people should start making little improvements to guarantee that 2021 will be a better year.

   “I think that New Year’s resolutions are great ways to start off the new year,” senior Leesa Farree said. “It motivates people to reach their goals and encourages people to work on themselves.”

   Working on oneself can mean a lot of different things. For some, it can be a change of perspective.

   “My New Year’s resolution was to maintain a positive attitude,” Farree said.

   Working on oneself can also include more physical goals.

   “My New Year’s resolution this year was to be more active and actually do what needs to get done,” Brautigam said.

   Regardless of the resolution, though, they are usually hard to stick to.

   “I think that it can be difficult to stick to resolutions because sometimes we get busy and forget or can’t physically do what we need to,” Farree said. “I think that perhaps reminding yourself with notes or alarms to work on a particular goal could be helpful to sticking to a resolution.”

   There is a surplus of ways to help motivate oneself to keep at a goal, but one of the best ways is to have someone hold you accountable for it.

   “It definitely helps to have someone hold you accountable for your resolution,” senior Morriah Bauman said. “I think people should follow social media [accounts] that influence whatever they’re aiming for. They just need to keep a constant reminder of what their goal is.”

   Even if a goal isn’t completely reached, making progress still counts. And including more positive influences like a social media account regarding your goal can improve one’s experiences and perspectives.

   “People can make the best of 2021 by starting to accept the world now and how it’s going to be for a while,” Bauman said. “Things are not going to change overnight, and people need to get used to it whether they like it or not. Just trying to make the best of things and see the positive makes a big difference.”