With the New Year Comes New Resolutions!

2019 has gone by and now 2020 is here. With a new year comes new goals and resolutions. These goals are widely known as New Year’s Resolutions. A New Year’s Resolution is a goal that people wish to accomplish for the new year.

Around 4,000 years ago, these resolutions began as the Babylonians made promises to their gods at the start of the new year. The Babylonians were also the first to celebrate in honor of the new year. This eventually became a popular tradition in the homes of many around the world. 

Starting a new year comes with excitement and celebration.  After the celebrations are over, people tend to reflect within themselves to plan how they can improve in different aspects of their lives.  Usually, it includes health, work aspects, and relationships. Students and teachers all around Ferguson’s halls have been making some New Year’s resolutions of their own as well. These resolutions come in all types, whether it be to lose weight or to experience new things.

The most common New Year’s resolutions are health-related. They include eating better, working out, and having more relaxation time. “I want to find myself and find a hobby that will take away my stress,” said Camila Gonzalez, a 9th grader.  Several shared specific weight loss goals.  “I am aiming to lose 25 pounds by April,” says English teacher Mrs. Wolf.  Pavel Gutierrez, another 9th grader also said: “I want to lose 15 pounds by the end of this year.” 

While some spoke of weight loss and exercise, several teachers discussed family time and teacher-related resolutions. “My New Year’s resolution is to spend more time with my family. I was very busy last year re-doing my house and I did not have too much time for my family,” said TV Production teacher Mr. Hope. Like him, others shared similar goals, as with a new year comes new memories. More family time will increase those memories for 2020.  “I want to make more family time for my children. So, once I want to sit down and play with them at least once a week,” said English teacher Mrs. Milera.

People consider the month of January as a fresh start to something great. Many professionals think about how they can improve in their jobs. “I would like to have at least 90% of my freshman pass the ELA test this year,”  said English teacher Mr. Rowe. Students also discussed their chance for a fresh start in their classes. 

For students, school-related resolutions were among the most discussed throughout the Ferguson halls. Although the new year does not start a new school year, there’s still time to become a better student or improve for the last nine weeks. “My New Year’s resolution is to focus more on my studies and strive for better grades for the rest of the year (especially for my upcoming senior year),” said Gabriella Umaῇa. With students managing their work for a different class, better time management is another popular resolution. “I would like to get better at my time management with school,” said junior Daniella Payan. 

While some school resolutions focused on studying and classroom habits, others mentioned specific classes where they needed more work. “To pay more attention in anatomy class,” said freshman Isabella Martinez. In addition to paying more attention, time management, and improving grades students have also shared areas they’d like to grow in such as public speaking.  “I want to become more confident,” said sophomore Emily Perez. Throughout Ferguson, many shared their excitement to start the year with new plans. 

Whether it’s new experiences, memories, or improving on oneself, January comes with many new plans and positive energy. Some will stay with their goals, while others may not, but self-improvement does not need to start in the new year.  It can be at any time of the year. The most important part of a resolution or goal is to make a plan, think positive and believe in oneself. A positive outlook will yield positive results!