Here's To The New Year!

Here’s To The New Year!

Every year, people create a list of resolutions — ranging from the wild to the practical — to help them live life to the fullest.

By Kaylee Duff

New Year’s resolutions have been around for longer than anyone alive can really remember. It’s something talked about at the end of every year; the lists of goals are all but expected of us the older we get. They’re worked into class assignments for young students and challenges are started in the workplace. But not many people know the origins of these resolutions.

New Year’s resolutions actually stemmed out of ancient religious and spiritual traditions. Almost every culture had some version — from the Babylonians and Romans to medieval England and early Christianity. At the beginning of every year, of each culture would make promises or vows to their gods and rulers. Eventually those promises morphed into the version of resolutions we see today. Now, we make promises to ourselves, usually centered around how we can better ourselves, for both our benefit and the benefit of those around us.

And even though many people don’t keep or stay true to their New Year’s resolutions, sometimes those promises can take hold and even change people’s lives. I stopped drinking soda as a challenge to myself while in high school, and actually stuck through with it! Now, I only occasionally drink pop (usually those cranberry Sprite ones around the holidays, because they are too good to resist), and my health has definitely benefited from doing that.

The True Team took to the streets and asked our readers what their resolutions and goals were for 2019. Here’s what you had to say:

• “Oh, to go on a grand adventure.”

• “My New Year’s resolution is to become a morning person! I want to try to train myself to get up earlier and to actually get out of bed at my first alarm so that I can have a more productive day.”

• “Read more books and find new podcasts to listen to!”

• “My goal for 2019 is to get accepted into the grad school program of my dreams! Or really any grad school at all. Then also to have a great first semester as a grad student and instructor!”

• “Be healthier!”

• “Actually cook more food and stop eating salads for at least onethird of my meals.”

• “I don’t necessarily wanna call it a resolution, but I plan to work A LOT. And finally feel okay financially so I can feel better in the future.”

• “I’d love to spend time creating art.”

• “My resolution is to manage my time better in order to reduce my stress.”

• “Journal a couple times a week, and become more mindful in my everyday life.”

• “Maybe try and take more risks (obviously within reason) but, you know, try all the things I want to try!”

• “Simple: save money.”

• “Stay strong and continue raising my dogs.”