2025 has just started, but yet it feels as though it is racing by. Already three months in, the end of the school year is in full swing and students’ lives are continuing to get busier as finals approach and spring sports commence.
This can easily lead to forgetfulness or a decline in productivity, something that is necessary to keep goals going and tasks completed. For many, this is the time when New Year’s resolutions fall through, or motivation starts to decrease.
“I feel like resolutions are a really good way to set a goal and actually achieve it,” Via Wideman (11) said. “Especially around New Year’s, everyone’s motivated.”
Wideman’s resolution was to improve her grade in her college-level math class, recognizing the importance of achieving good grades early on.
“…I picked it because my college grades are important to me,” Wideman said. “I don’t want to start off with a bad GPA.”
She has been actively working toward her goal by staying on top of assignments and utilizing available resources given to her.
“I’ve been going to ANP to get help from my teacher. I’ve been using the study plan book, doing my homework mostly on time and paying attention in class,” Wideman said.
Despite her determination, staying motivated has been one of her biggest challenges.
“It’s very easy to not care, especially around break time,” Wideman said. “But you’ve got to lock in sometimes.”
Colin McCabe (12) also set a resolution that required discipline — committing to running at least three miles every day. For him, self-discipline is a key value in his family, making this goal even more meaningful.
“I think self-discipline is really valued in my family,” McCabe said. “If I work hard every day, I can get through a lot of things easier that are small bumps in my day.”
So far, he has stayed consistent and is already seeing the benefits.
“Oh, it’s been a dream. I’m reaping the benefits of it. It’s making my life easier and healthier, too,” McCabe said.
Even with his progress, McCabe has faced obstacles along the way.
“Procrastination and laziness,” McCabe said. “Sometimes you don’t feel like doing it at all, and that definitely ruins the mood. But if you get through it, you know it’s worth it.”
To push through the tough moments, he relies on music and visualization.
“I just put in my music and think about what I could be, and I say, ‘I want to be the best version of myself, so why am I not?’ Then I just push myself there,” McCabe said.
Not all resolutions go as planned, as Jack Johnson (11) discovered. His goal was to go to the gym every day to improve for sports, but he quickly found consistency difficult to maintain.
“It was good at the start, but once you miss a few days, you just get off track, and then I lost complete consistency,” Johnson said.
For Johnson, time management was the biggest challenge.
“You have to kind of squeeze it into your schedule, and when something comes up, most things are kind of ahead of it, so you can really prioritize it,” Johnson said.
Although he fell off track, Johnson remains hopeful about giving it another shot.
“I’m definitely going to try it in the summer when I have more free time,” Johnson said. “But definitely scheduling stuff around it and keeping it as a priority [will be necessary].”
Despite his struggles, Johnson still believes in the power of resolutions.
“Oh, yeah, absolutely, because if you stay with it, then it becomes actually a positive habit,” Johnson said.
For those struggling with their resolutions, the three students offer words of encouragement.
“If you really want to see results and this is a true goal of yours, you need to do something about it,” Wideman said. “Complaining doesn’t really get you anywhere.”
McCabe echoed the sentiment with a straightforward piece of advice.
“Any goal is possible. You just put your head down and do it,” McCabe said. “It’s that simple.”
Despite his setbacks, Johnson also encourages others to follow through.
“If you start a goal, complete it,” Johson said. “It’ll feel really good when you do. It’s worth the time.”
