Motivation essential in keeping New Year's resolutions

by Carmen Huff and Jasmine Meredith

The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions lives on in 2009. However, resolutions lose their effectiveness when it’s hard to stay motivated in the new year.

“I don’t make resolutions anymore because they have never worked in the past. You just don’t stay motivated all year, so you just give up. My resolutions only last about two months,” said guidance department secretary Carol Lockhart.

“We choose to become busy with other things, so we don’t keep our resolutions,” agreed counselor Kirk Hamsley.

Freshman Keegan Johnston claims that he doesn’t make resolutions anymore either, because he usually just forgets them so they only last a few weeks.

“People could always remind me of my resolution and that would help me remember it,” said Johnston .

“It’s a lot easier to keep a resolution if you share it with another person because they’ll help you keep it,” said assistant principal Rob Willman. “Like if you want to exercise more, and you meet other people at the gym to work out, then it’s easier to keep it. Then, if you don’t show up your friends will be like, ‘Where were you?’.”

Senior Katie Reed made the resolution to spend more time at home with her family.

“I feel like I don’t know my six-year-old brother because I am always out with my friends. My parents could help me with my resolution by grounding me, but I don’t really want them to do that.”

Freshman Jordan Marcum wants to start eating healthier for the new year as well as getting good grades.

“Half the time people generally don’t follow through with their resolutions. I am planning on eating healthier for the remainder of my life. It’s a whole lot easier if someone goes through it with you. You can build one another up so that you can obtain the resolution.”

Junior Mackenzie Oller gets her friends and parents to help her keep her resolutions. This year, she wants to stay organized so that “it will be a habit before college.”

English teacher Wallace Austin makes resolutions every year because “it is good to set goals” and generally has good success with them. He shares his secret to making resolutions be effective through the entire year.

“To make a resolution last longer, you want to take baby steps and try not to do it all at once.”