New Year’s resolutions are often criticized for being far-fetched or unrealistic, with the people who make them rarely following through on their devotions. This reputation of people quitting prematurely has raised the question as to how effective New Year’s resolutions really are.

     Despite this, however, the trend of making New Year’s resolutions has become a very popular western tradition.

     “They give you something positive to look forward for and to improve yourself,” junior Riley Horspool said. “This year I want to get promoted at work or get cross trained.”

     However, if a resolution is used as a turning point in their life, such as breaking an addiction or exercising more frequently, it could become easier for the person to quit if the resolution falls through.

     “Sometimes things don’t go like you had planned and you have to abandon your resolution,” senior Abigail Dearing said. “This can leave you feeling upset, hopeless, useless, and like you failed yourself.”

     However, New Year’s resolutions make starting an objective easier, which is the most important step for self-improvement.

     “They can give motivation to grow as a person,” sophomore Thomas Shankel said. “But you shouldn’t try to improve yourself just because it’s January.”

     Whether or not we believe in the concept of New Year’s resolutions, we can all find new ways to improve ourselves over the course of 2021.