By Maddie McComb

As the clock ticked closer to midnight on December 31, the year 2023 was coming to a close, and I wanted to create a new start for 2024. I reflected over the past 12 months and created a few goals for myself. With the New Year beginning, I wanted to challenge myself to uphold my goals for as long as I could. My goals included trying to drink more water and being more positive. Even though these goals can be challenging, I have started my new year on a better, optimistic note. 

January 1 marks a reset worldwide with the beginning of the New Year. People around the globe often create New Year’s resolutions, usually a lifestyle goal to try to uphold in the new year. These resolutions can last one day or the whole year, and many people try to keep up with them for however long they can. 

Throughout the Collegiate community, I collected a variety of responses about New Year’s resolutions. Some people had multiple resolutions for the year, and some people had none at all. 

Photo credit: Maddie McComb.

In January, I visited Lower School 1st Grade teacher Ellen Faris’s class and asked a few students about their New Year’s resolutions. Earlier, the students had completed a worksheet about their New Year’s resolutions that included what they wanted to learn, help with, improve, and an overall goal for the year.

Mae’s (‘35) New Year’s resolutions include to “get better at a story and my handwriting and being nice.” Mae wants to also learn how to “cook dinner with my mom,” and get better at “building a snowman.” 

Jay’s (‘35) New Year’s resolution is “reading very long words by sounding them out by using syllables.” In addition to reading challenging words, Jay wants to learn how to “be better at being an architect.” 

Pitt’s (‘35) New Year’s resolution for this year is to “be a better Pokémon trainer and make them mega and unlock their secret powers.” The 1st Graders had a wide range of goals they wanted to accomplish this year. 

In addition, I visited Lower School 4th Grade teacher Jamie Chambers’ class to ask about their New Year’s resolutions. Carolina’s (‘32) goal for this year was to “read more books, so she can get more books on her reading log.” 

Photo credit: Maddie McComb.

Sebastian (‘32) wants to “make more friends” this year. 

I asked a few Upper School students about their resolutions. Sarah Turnbull’s (‘25) resolution for this upcoming year is to “try not to interrupt people and to think before she speaks,” so she can become a better listener by waiting until people are done talking before she adds in. 

Ellie Featherston’s (‘25) goal is to “have more intention behind actions and words by making them more purposeful instead of random filler words.” She hopes this resolution brings her more purposeful conversations and friendships. 

Ellie Blackwood’s (‘27) goal for this year is to “try to get off her phone more,” so she can be more present in the world around her. 

Liam Moore’s (‘25) resolution is to accomplish quicker track times throughout the year. 

Sarah Ward’s (‘24) goal is to continue using Duolingo, a language learning app. Ward is learning Korean on the app and does it every night before she goes to bed. Ward started this goal last February and has continued it into the new year. She has almost a year streak of Duolingo every night and hopes to continue the streak. 

My mom Molly McComb’s (‘89) New Year’s resolution for the year is “to try new things, like yoga.” She wants to go to yoga at least twice a week and hopes to continue throughout the year to prevent injury. 

As there are various New Year’s resolutions around the community, each person and grade level has a different goal this year. Lower Schoolers focused their resolutions on improving many developing skills, and the Upper School focused a majority of their goals on self-improvement to reiterate the manners learned in the past. 

As many weeks have passed since the New Year, I have become less focused on my goals, but I still try to accomplish them every day. I have been most successful with drinking more water. However, as the year continues, these goals can become more challenging to uphold.

Featured photo credit: Marco Verch via Flickr.