
As 2025 rolls around the corner, the annual tradition of bettering oneself in the new year and leaving old habits behind is being practiced once again in 2025. Yearly, people stack up their resolution list: they aim to get on a diet, exercise more and save money. While these are habits a person should strive to adopt, the issue lies in the commitment people give to them. Initially, people try to achieve their goals: they purchase their first gym membership, fill their grocery cart with healthy foods and cut out unnecessary expenses. But more often than not, their schedule begins to “fill up” and the dedication to these resolutions fades.
The second Friday of January is commonly referred to as “Quitters’ Day,” because it is the point by which many have abandoned their New Year’s resolutions. Fourteen days into the New Year and many have yet to develop solid habits; whether its because of procrastination or a lack of drive, their will to improve is forgotten.
“I made some New Year’s resolutions, but honestly I gave up on some of them after a few weeks because it just became an extra thing to worry about for no reason. A lot of them were kind of unrealistic and I made them knowing I wasn’t gonna stay with them,” sophomore Esteban Biurrarena said.
People will make excuses for why they were not able to stick by their resolutions, but most times it boils down to unrealistic goals, a lack of direction and no plan made to realize them. People often set very broad and long-term goals, but expect instant results. The issue with long-term goals is their daunting appearance and slow progress. Within the first two weeks of sticking by them, little to no progress will be seen. This discourages many, who end up quitting when they aren’t rewarded with visible progress.
“Usually when I don’t see any progress with something, I get discouraged and I think of quitting more. It’s not really a good mindset to have, but it’s not very motivating to be working towards something and you see nothing change,” junior Andres Espinosa said
As for those who do stick to their New Year’s resolutions, they approach goals with a different mindset. People who commit to their resolutions set more tangible goals, as well as create a plan towards reaching their goals. Instead of a broad resolution which can take time and seem overwhelming, a short-term goal could be set. When these goals are reached, they give a sense of accomplishment and are encouraging towards someone looking to better themselves. By using these small victories as stepping stones towards a larger goal, people become more likely to commit to their resolutions.
“Most of my New Year’s resolutions have to do with my football and just focusing more in general. A lot of people do resolutions that they’re not going to really stick to, but for mine, I trust myself to follow through,” said freshman Ricky Villaroyal.
Those who do not believe in setting resolutions exclusively on New Year’s Eve often find success with their goals year round. Going against the ideology of only picking New Year’s as a time to improve themselves, they find success in working on their own time. By avoiding creating unrealistic expectations for themselves to be a completely changed person come next year, they work at a consistent pace and manage their workload. As this goal becomes more feasible, they are less likely to give up on these self-made promises.
“When I was little I used to do New Year’s resolutions, but recently I’ve realized I just forget about them the first month or so. Now, I just set small things I have to accomplish in a week, like finish some schoolwork. Instead of a resolution that would be to get straight A’s,I just make small ones throughout the year that lead me to that bigger resolution,” sophomore Natasha Macau said.
While it is tradition to set resolutions on New Year’s Eve, goals should be set regardless the time of year. After losing motivation to continue, those who give up leave bettering themselves to the next year, repeating the endless cycle. By breaking the cycle of unfulfilled New Year’s resolutions, progress can be seen past the month of January and resolutions will become habits. With a plan, anyone can achieve their goals and turn their aspirations into success.