If you asked what my New Years’ Resolutions were three years ago, I probably would’ve laughed in your face and made a joke about how useless they were. There is an obvious negative connotation when it comes to New Years Resolutions. However, it is often because the goals being set are unrealistic and unattainable making it hard to follow through with. For this reason, a New Years Resolution has the bad reputation of not making it through the month of January. 

Since college began, I have found a lot of peace and remember my “whys” through the goals I set. When I forget why I am trying so hard, or why I am in college, or why I am double majoring, I remember the goals I set for myself that remind me of what I will accomplish in the future if I achieve these goals now. I have never been a goal-oriented person. I used to dread the classroom activities of making S.M.A.R.T goals and found the whole idea completely useless. Looking back, I realize that the reason why was because I had very broad goals: to get good grades and to get into a good college. And while that did help me out throughout high school, it was hard to have that same mindset in college because it’s a whole different ball game. Setting goals for myself helped keep my drive and recognize that the end of college is not that far away. 

I have the same mindset for New Year’s Resolutions. They’re pretty much glorified goals you set for yourself under the pretense that a New Year is a fresh start for every individual. If you are not a fan of the romanticization of New Year’s Resolutions, try to set low stakes goals for yourself that are both beneficial, realistic, and attainable. Don’t restrict yourself by thinking that these goals are only for the start of a New Year and that you have to wait until December 31st or January 1st to set a resolution. 

The resolutions I have set for myself this year are to apply to as many internships as I can and hopefully have a summer internship. I also want to look into Computer Science related research opportunities offered by my institution. In addition, I want to put more time and effort into the student organizations I am a part of and am excited about the new initiatives that I have planned. Outside of school, I want to make my health a priority because this was something I really struggled with in 2020 and it had very negative outcomes. I hope to do this by setting my own deadlines for assignments and projects as well as setting a hard deadline for my bedtime. If I have the goal of shutting off my laptop and closing my books at midnight, hopefully, I would not have to pull all-nighters and wake up earlier. This will also encourage me to procrastinate less because I would be more motivated to get more things done. This goal will help with my health because I will have a more consistent sleep schedule and will help with my time management. 

I encourage you all to set some goals and New Year’s resolutions for yourself and see how it can change your drive in life. I wish you all the best. Stay safe and good luck!