Junior Roy Keckler didn’t make a New Year’s resolution this year. This wasn’t uncommon for Keckler since he said New Year’s resolutions are a waste of time.
“New Year’s resolutions are made for a variety of reasons, although most involve self-improvement. These resolutions may involve improving one’s health, wealth, social status or education. The new year is a good time to reflect on the past year and to find ways to improve the new year,” said school psychologist Larry Ward.
“Resolutions are just empty promises made in false self-confidence. Avoid these, and you avoid disappointment,” said Keckler.
According to Google definitions, a New Year’s resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or the changing of a habit, often to help improve one’s life.
According to the Psychology Today website, after the first six months of the new year, less then half of the people who made a resolution have quit. That percentage drops to about 10 percent after a year.
Some students willingly make a New Year’s resolution to help improve themselves. Junior Chris Hines’ New Year’s resolution is to not drink pop for a year. Hines has never opted to make a New Year’s resolution until this year because his girlfriend and dad told him he had to.
Changing a particular lifestyle or habit is particularly hard to change, Ward said, because habits are ingrained and resistant to change.
Even though junior Hannah Keller and freshman Conner Maynard both made New Year’s resolutions, they agreed that to some people it’s a waste of time. Maynard made his resolution to maintain a 3.6 GPA while Keller made hers to exercise more and consume healthier foods. Keller said most people tend to give up in the first week.
Ward said one way to help keep a New Year’s resolution is talk to someone who has a similar goal, that way encouragement can be shared.