New Year’s Resolutions: How to Do Them Right

BY Amanda de Lauzon

Features Editor

With the change of the calendar year, many people have decided to make some changes in their own lives.

According to History.com, “The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first people to make New Year’s resolutions, some 4,000 years ago. During a massive 12-day religious festival known as Akitu, the Babylonians crowned a new king or reaffirmed their loyalty to the reigning king. They also made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. These promises could be considered the forerunners of our New Year’s resolutions.”

Now that we know where this idea came from, let’s focus on how we see these resolutions present day. New Year’s resolutions now are often a change that someone wants to make in their life starting Jan. 1 and following through for the rest of the year. Some common ones are to work out more, to eat healthier or to get organized.

However, not everyone believes a New Year’s resolution has to be a huge change that will flip your life around.

“You can start a change in your life any day or time of the year and it doesn’t ever have to be drastic or competitive. It can be a small change each day that just improves your life,” said senior Emily Miller, a Communications and Film major. “I think the problem with New Year’s resolutions is that people think they have to start it when the year changes rather than start when they feel they want a change and they try to make it drastic. This causes a feeling of overwhelming competition.”

As a Communications major, she is constantly using technology and her New Year’s resolution reflects her want for a break.

“I want to read more, especially before going to sleep, instead of being on my phone, and to drink more water. I feel like resolutions like these could actually help people because of how much we are on technology. It’s good to give your brain a rest and it could help you sleep better and relax easier,” said Miller.

Sacred Heart’s S.W.E.ET. Peer Educators focus a lot on student’s health and safety, and self-care is part of that.

“New Year’s resolutions do work as long as you stay away from keeping them general. The more specific the better. It’s a great way to take some time to self-reflect and look back at the year,” said Olivia Okoroafor, S.W.E.E.T.’s social media chair.

There are, however, problems with these resolutions, which people may need to think about when focusing on their own for the new year.

“The problem is that many people only base their resolutions on the past. Your resolutions shouldn’t only focus on the past, but instead begin making a brighter tomorrow,” said Okoroafor. “There are little things we can do to maintain and improve our mental health. Self-care should never be at the bottom of your to-do list. Doing the things you love and avoiding the things you don’t can improve your day tremendously.”

Self-care can take many different forms for different people. Two Sacred Heart seniors have their own tips for self-care this new year.

“Self-care can really be anything. Two things I do to relax and to de-stress while also improving my health are going to the gym and cooking dinner for myself,” said senior Rebecca Lerner, an Elementary Education major. “I feel like learning a new recipe and cooking for myself makes me less anxious and rewind from the day while also eating healthier.”

“I feel like finding something to do besides school that your passionate about is important for self-care,” said senior Michelle Munos, a Psychology major and dance team captain. “For me, dance is what I have loved to do my whole life and doing it throughout college has given me a chance to really focus on one thing and to not let school overwhelm me.”

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