New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolutions

by Brittany Clark

Reporter, Flyer Flash

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The new year is a fresh start for setting goals, sometimes recycled from times past, sometimes created anew. They motivate one to set sails in a new direction, or navigate the same direction in a different way.

From experience, however, one may have noticed that there’s a huge difference between setting goals and achieving goals. Doubtless one has undergone challenges with keeping one’s promises throughout the year. Though these challenges help one to grow even more if overcome, they can also serve as roadblocks that prevent one from accomplishing goals.

Corrina Carter, junior, can relate to this, calling herself a “magnificent procrastinator.” It’s hard to keep herself on track because, “When all my energy has been put into last minute homework I can’t seem to do things that really matter to me.”

Krista Dekorver, senior, also meets with difficulty. “It’s hard having so much pressure on my shoulder.” Being a senior, she has more than enough challenges to sift through, and the added pressure has never helped.

So, what does help? How do high schoolers go about putting first things first and relieving this pressure, no matter where it comes from?

Here are some tips that could make one’s experience of goal setting and achieving easier, a compilation from high schoolers and teachers alike.

First, write it down. Goals will always remain abstractions until they are in concrete form.

Next, place it where it will be seen every day. If this year is to be “the year” that one surmounts inertia, or whatever it is that keeps one from accomplishing their resolutions, it’s imperative to commit it to memory.

Once that’s done, it’s recommended to recruit a buddy, or someone to hold one accountable. Publicizing one’s intentions is one of the most common and effective ways of making sure that one follows through - that, along with self-determination.

Other small but helpful tips include planning ahead (remember Coach Cuff’s words of wisdom: a goal without an action plan is just a daydream), focus on it extensively (rather than juggling multiple goals all at once), establish mini milestones along the way, and overall, to stay positive (reward successes rather than use failures as an excuse to give up).

With all this talk of goal setting and achieving - and many potential areas to begin - here are some ideas of goal posts being set by high schoolers for 2013, to get one started on the path to success:

“To make every holiday resemble Halloween,” Spencer Clawson

“To sleep more,” -Jordan Winkel

“Be happier and smile more. Plus, I want to say “hi” to people I know more often.” -Brinli Gailey

“Start hair school. I’ll be graduating early and going full time. I’d like to make more friends and be friendlier with people I don’t know. I want to finish one of my stories and get it published. I want to also beat every Elder Scrolls game on the Xbox.” -Darby McNaughton

“My new year’s resolution is to get out of here! I want to graduate and start college.” -Ahlai Ibarra

“Work out more and read more.” -Dominique Starks

“Be happy more and live more freely.” -Taylor Martinez

“Finish high school and go to college for my art. Oh, and stay up with the techies. Techies, Techies Rule!” -Ali Judd

“Be more organized.” -Kaleb Hopkin

“Use money more wisely.” -Corey Fernandez

“Respect my parents.” -Britton Coleman

“Be a millionaire!” -Annel Caballero

“Live while I’m young.” -Gricelda Briseno

“Get a job.” -Ximena Black

“Learn to do a cart wheel and front flip without a trampoline.” -Ben Stovall

“Eat healthy and progress more in tennis.” -Cydnee Wilkinson

“Sleep more, stress less.” -Markee Heckenliable

“Learn to play the piano, be more active.” -Mike Gibson

"Be punctual.” -Jayden Wallace

“Don’t fail a class.” -Greysten Saxton

“Lose weight, be healthier, and get a scholarship for softball.” -Nicole Mahi

“Become more aggressive in life.” -Nick Livingston

“Study more and get smarter.” -Corrina Larson

“Start lifting, pro.” -Nathan Weidman

No matter what category one’s goals fits it - personal social, academic, financial/professional, health - the important thing is to have them, to continue learning and improving. Goals only have as much power as we give them, however; if one lets them, they have the potential to inspire one to keep on keeping on.