Every year is a new start, a chance to do something else, something greater. To capitalize on that new start, many people make New Year’s Resolutions, promises to themselves of who they are going to be in the future. Now, I have to admit that I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions, because I figured out quickly that I’d have about a snowball’s chance in heck of keeping them. I would watch all that determination slowly roll away form me, melting more and more as it goes. But I’ve watched a lot of other less capricious people make resolutions and still sometimes fail to keep them. With that in mind, I have to say, some resolutions, although they sound good on paper, may be much harder to keep than others. Here’s my list of the usual culprits of such tragedies, and strategies to improve your New Year’s, with or without them.
1. The Resolution: Loosing Weight
This resolution is a very common one. Rare is the person who believes that they are perfect in size and shape, and I think everyone is convinced in some way that they could be healthier. Unfortunately, for all the people who make this resolution, very few actually manage to keep it for a year.
Why It Fails: Loosing weight is not an easy task. A lot of factors go into weight, like muscle size, height, bone structure, environment, exercise, and diet. If you do not know exactly what you are doing, then you may not get the outcome you desire, which can be extremely discouraging. Looking to trim up a certain body area? If you simply go to the gym and exercise more, you may loose weight overall, but if you do not work out that area specifically, you’re bound to be disappointed. If what you are looking for is just losing weight, at a certain point you may start gaining muscle at the gym, which tips the scale back up north-ways, making you fail your resolution even as you get healthier.
What to Try Instead: Looking to be happier with yourself? Try making a resolution along the lines of “Find a good thing about yourself every time you look in the mirror” or “Stop eating out at a certain restaurant because you know it will upset your stomach three hours later no matter how good it tastes.”
If You’re Really Attached: Alter the resolution somewhat. Try a more specific resolution so that you can monitor your progress periodically. For example, resolutions like “use your gym membership at least twice a month” or “eat a serving of vegetables with every meal” are much easier to do, because you know when you are succeeding and when you need more work, and they can help contribute to that healthy life style that you are looking for.
2. The Resolution: Be Smarter with Money
Another classic resolution, who doesn’t want to be smarter about their money, having more of it when you need some? Whether it’s a salary or a monthly stipend from the ‘rents, most college students have learned by now that expenses will come when you least expect it, and it is nice not to have to scramble for cash when that comes around.
Why It Fails: This resolution also suffers from the problem of being too vague. What exactly does it mean to be “smart with money?” I’ve never been quite sure. I think it depends on your personal situation, and a resolution that’s hard to describe is hard to follow. Also, this resolution is hard because it is full of temptations. Either a new expense you weren’t planning for like an extra textbook or a high energy bill will appear, or a brand new video game or book in your favorite series or gorgeous dress or shoes will suddenly materialize, and you will want to spend that money.
What to Try Instead: Resolve to have one weekend a month where you throw an expense free party or gathering for you and your friends. Go on an evening picnic with the food already in your kitchen and watch the sun set. Have a potluck evening indoors by the heaters with what’s in everyone’s fridges. Throw an old school makeover party and have everyone contribute to the make-up pool. Watch random tv shows you don’t know from Hulu for free and make up stories as to what they’re about. “Borrow” some board games from your parent’s basement and try and combine them all together into one mega-game.
If You’re Really Attached: Resolve to put a certain amount away periodically and/or find a place to stash cash where you won’t remember it to spend it on a day to day basis. Then later, when something big comes up, a several hundred-dollar expense rather than a couple bucks one, you’ll remember and have it in your time of need. Or, if you have a bad habit of spending small change constantly, resolve to cut out the morning trip to Starbuck’s everyday to save up. Making your own coffee at home isn’t very hard, and definitely saves money in the long run. Plus, next time you’re really desperate, that Starbucks trip will feel like a real treat again.
3. The Resolution: Learning a New Language
Who doesn’t want to speak fluently in an exotic language? Personally, I’d like to know another language so I could swear or comment on things and have my English speaking friends confused about I’m saying when I do. Plus, for anyone whose dream is to travel, learning a new language could be essential, depending on where you go.
Why It Fails: Learning languages is really difficult. There are a lot to them, and a lot of nuisances that are hard to describe. Most of the time, you feel like you’re working against everything that you’ve done for the past years of your life to get there. Plus, it takes a LOT of time. Even if you take a class in a language, you’ll barely be able to say simple phrases by the time a semester rolls around, let alone feel like you can speak without deserving to be made fun of. And you may always have that feeling that two-year-old native speakers speak the language better than you.
What to Try Instead: Been attending a lot of parties? Try making a resolution to cut back on the alcohol this year. While knowing the names of different wines and the places of origin of your whiskey may make you feel like a cultured world citizen, it may not be healthy for you. Since drinking rum doesn’t seem to magically transform you into a pirate, as cool as that would be, maybe you should resolve to go to one less party a month. Nobody will judge you for needing some tv time and extra sleep one weekend. Or promise to only drink when you’re out, if you’re finding the always problematic solo drinking to be your vice. Or, hey, resolve to cut back when you’re out so that you can stop making such an embarrassing mess of yourself in front of strangers. Avoiding people on campus because you wish you had stopped one or two drinks before last Saturday is never nice.
If You’re Really Attached: Try getting a learning app to help you on your way and resolve to actually use it. For example, the free app Duolingo helps to teach you Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, or Italian by giving you quizzes like a game and will send you reminders everyday to help you stay consistent with your studies. You may not be able to truly master a language without one-on-one time with a native speaker, but there are a lot of wonderful ways to start and to master some basic phrases out on the Internet, from apps to YouTube channels to foreign movies and sitcoms on Netflix.