As the New Year approaches, many find themselves reflecting on the past year and setting ambitious resolutions for the year ahead. Sometimes, teachers even give work related to goal-setting and the coming year. Some people start goal-setting at a young age in order to develop the habit well into adulthood. However, sticking to these goals often proves to be more challenging than anticipated.
Many students in EHS have goals relating to improving their grades.
“In the past, I haven’t kept up with it because it is a long term resolution and takes a lot of maintenance to keep up with when there’s distractions that occur often,” said Brooklynn Torres ‘27.
Long-term resolutions require consistent effort and dedication, which is challenging due to distractions like social events and extracurricular activities. On the other hand, short-term resolutions, like completing daily assignments, offer more immediate gratification and are easier to accomplish, providing students with a sense of achievement and motivation.
To understand why students struggle with their resolutions, it’s important to look at common goals and the obstacles they face. Many students aim to improve their GPA, secure part time jobs, work out regularly, and figure out their career paths. These goals often fail due to a few factors.
One major obstacle is the lack of motivation. Many students set resolutions that are unrealistic and require a level of commitment they are not prepared for. Sometimes students might be unplanned or unprepared for the events in their way. For instance, aiming to achieve perfect grades while juggling outside life can be overwhelming. This leads to a sense of failure when students don’t meet their high expectations, making them lose motivation.
“My resolution is to stop procrastinating. It didn’t work out last year because my work piled up because of how sick I kept getting, leading me to not get much done in the end,” said Georgia Singer ‘26.
Another factor is laziness, which can be caused by the constant presence of distractions. Social media, hanging out with friends, gaming, and other leisure activities can easily take the place of studying or working out because the allure of fun outweighs the long-term benefits of sticking to resolutions.
“A resolution I had was to study more and not be as lazy, but I didn’t do it because most of my classes and my personality affected me and in the end, I stopped focusing and started slacking off,” said Michael Garces ‘25.
To combat these challenges, it’s beneficial for students to set manageable, short-term goals. Breaking down large steps into smaller ones makes them more achievable. Creating a structured plan and setting specific deadlines can help maintain focus and accountability.
As a result, students at EHS can increase chances of achieving their resolutions and enjoying a successful year ahead by setting realistic goals, finding motivation, and taking small steps day by day. By doing this, many will find that by the end of the next year, their goals will be incorporated into their daily lives or even satisfied completely.