2008 Woodie Awards
To resolve or not to resolve
Ceren Akinci
Issue date: 1/26/06 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
Are New Years resolutions really effective?
If not, why do we continue to make them every year, hoping that this one will be different from the last. Or has everyone given up on the idea of resolutions all together?
In a recent survey 100 SHU students participated and the results show that 40 percent of students said they didn't make a resolution, while 45 percent made fitness and diet related resolutions.
Only three percent made career goals, while the remaining 12 percent vowed to stay more focused, improve spirituality and get better grades in school.
"I think we make resolutions to motivate ourselves to achieve something and the beginning of a new year should inspire us, and make us feel like we are accomplishing our goals," said Orlagh Cullen, senior, Cumberland, R.I.
Motivation is what many are in search for and a new year gives people another reason to hope that this year will be more focused towards what they would like to accomplish.
It's as though many are presented with a clean slate, an opportunity to start fresh and make better choices for themselves. It was surprising to find that for most SHU students, they decided not to make a resolution.
"I did not make any New Year's resolutions this year. The reason I didn't is that I was very busy and didn't have time to think about it. Also, I truly recognize that resolutions don't work and are quickly forgotten by the time the holiday glow fades. If there are things I want to work on, I am far more successful if I make them goals that I work on daily, weekly, or monthly, no matter what time of year," said Joanne Kabak, Professor of Media Studies.
For the remainder of hopeful students, a new year meant better health choices and improving their diet. Only a few people responded with career concerns, while fewer students stated that spirituality and self-improvement was on the top of their list.
It is obvious that most at SHU realize that New Years resolutions are goals that people hope to keep but end up forgetting about once February rolls around. For the rest of you however, the new year is just the beginning of a long road to self-improvement. Realizing that although it may not be the easiest thing to change your life long habits, it helps to have a new year to slowly achieve that change and help kick off a new beginning.
If not, why do we continue to make them every year, hoping that this one will be different from the last. Or has everyone given up on the idea of resolutions all together?
In a recent survey 100 SHU students participated and the results show that 40 percent of students said they didn't make a resolution, while 45 percent made fitness and diet related resolutions.
Only three percent made career goals, while the remaining 12 percent vowed to stay more focused, improve spirituality and get better grades in school.
"I think we make resolutions to motivate ourselves to achieve something and the beginning of a new year should inspire us, and make us feel like we are accomplishing our goals," said Orlagh Cullen, senior, Cumberland, R.I.
Motivation is what many are in search for and a new year gives people another reason to hope that this year will be more focused towards what they would like to accomplish.
It's as though many are presented with a clean slate, an opportunity to start fresh and make better choices for themselves. It was surprising to find that for most SHU students, they decided not to make a resolution.
"I did not make any New Year's resolutions this year. The reason I didn't is that I was very busy and didn't have time to think about it. Also, I truly recognize that resolutions don't work and are quickly forgotten by the time the holiday glow fades. If there are things I want to work on, I am far more successful if I make them goals that I work on daily, weekly, or monthly, no matter what time of year," said Joanne Kabak, Professor of Media Studies.
For the remainder of hopeful students, a new year meant better health choices and improving their diet. Only a few people responded with career concerns, while fewer students stated that spirituality and self-improvement was on the top of their list.
It is obvious that most at SHU realize that New Years resolutions are goals that people hope to keep but end up forgetting about once February rolls around. For the rest of you however, the new year is just the beginning of a long road to self-improvement. Realizing that although it may not be the easiest thing to change your life long habits, it helps to have a new year to slowly achieve that change and help kick off a new beginning.