A new year brings more than just a new calendar; it brings a chance for high school students to redefine who they want to be and how they want to grow.
New Year’s resolutions didn’t start with planners or fitness goals. Thousands of years ago, people used the start of a new year as a chance to reflect on their lives and promise to improve.
Today, we still do the same thing: set goals to improve ourselves.
Tyler Dehart, 12, (he/him), decided to make his first ever New Year’s resolution this year. “I haven’t made a resolution before. I never saw the benefit in them because typically people do not keep up with their New Year’s resolutions. I think it’s much more effective to make smaller goals more often rather than one big one,” Dehart said.
And small changes are what Dehart plans on sticking to in 2026.
“My main New Year’s resolution was to give more effort in everything I do, including my school work and my extracurriculars.”
Balancing school, AP tests and show choir requires focus, organization and dedication throughout the rest of the year.
Many high school students are finding creative ways to stick to their resolutions. Instead of setting unrealistic goals, they are breaking them into smaller, achievable steps.
“I decided that I need to put forth more effort into my school work for the second half of the year, especially with the AP test season coming up. Additionally, with the show choir season and musical also happening in the second half of year, more focus and dedication is needed,” Dehart said.
Recognizing the need for extra focus on school and extracurriculars goes directly back to the idea that sticking to resolutions helps build discipline over time.
“Its important to keep up with resolutions for as long as you can to build discipline,” Dehart said.
Keeping up with resolutions not only builds discipline but also shows the fresh start and opportunity for change that a new year represents.
“To me, New Year’s resolutions symbolize change. Similar to the idea of a new year as a whole.”
Rebecca Matiyabo, 12, (she/her), made a different kind of New Year’s resolution this year, not related to school or activities.
“One resolution that I made this year for myself was to limit myself to one fun drink per week. I spend a lot of money on drinks and food. Saving money is also a big one for me,” Matiyabo said.
“I feel like making New Year’s resolutions is crucial because they keep you evolving and growing. Self-improvement is something that keeps me motivated. Especially because I’m going to college this year, I’m working on creating healthy habits,” Matiyabo said.
When resolutions become part of daily routines, students are more likely to keep them.
“What I want from this is to be a more productive and well-rounded person. Creating better habits and taking care of myself are things that I wanted to prioritize this year,” Matiyabo said.
As the year continues, New Year’s resolutions serve as a reminder that change doesn’t have to happen all at once, just one choice at a time.
Whether big or small, resolutions give students a chance to grow, improve and step into the new year with purpose.
