As we say goodbye to 2013 and welcome the new year, many people are just getting started with their New Year’s resolutions. This can be seen by the the many people who are in the gym working with their resolution to lose weight, which is deemed most frequent New Year’s resolution made for 2014 according to a study conducted by the University of Scranton. According to History.com, New Year’s resolutions were first seen being celebrated by the Babylonians who would make promises, such as paying off debts and return borrowed farm equipment, to the gods as a way to start off the year positively. New Year’s resolutions have progressed throughout time; they can be big things such as buying a new car or as simple as taking the dog for more walks. Everyone has their own unique New Year’s resolutions, but these are the most common for 2014 according the same study by the University of Scranton:

Top 10 New Years Resolutions for 2014

1. Lose weight
2. Get organized
3. Spend less, save more
4. Enjoy life to the fullest
5. Stay fit and healthy
6. Learn something excited
7. Quit smoking
8. Help others in their dreams
9. Fall in love
10. Spend more time with family

According to this study, only about eight percent of people accomplish their resolution for the New Year. This statistic sent us on a search for Panther Creek students who were successful in meeting their resolutions for the 2013 year.

We came across one Panther Creek senior, Sam Andersen, who had accomplished all of his 2013 New Year’s resolutions. His resolutions involved being more outgoing, finishing his classes strong, and losing twenty pounds. He was able to accomplish these by finding more balance in his life instead of going to extremes with things and putting school first. For 2014, his resolutions include getting fit for college, expanding his circle of friends, paying off his debts, and get a more static job. When asked why New Year resolutions are important to accomplish he said, “To experiment with pushing and expanding our capabilities. New Year’s resolutions offer a mechanism in which an individual sets goals for his/herself and by the end of the year, can reflect on his/her progress and evaluate his/her capabilities, often surprising themselves with the results from commitment.”

Luke Roosje thinks that New Year’s resolutions are a good reason to actually get going on something. Although he does not remember his resolutions from 2013, Luke’s 2014 resolution is to stay fit. He claims if he is successful that it would most likely be from luck. His advice for others who are trying to accomplish their resolutions is to, “Never let it down for a second because the second you do, it’s going downhill.”

Nour Dabbagh expressed her thoughts on New Year resolutions and why many people don’t seem to make them anymore, saying, “I’d say people don’t make New Year’s resolutions because they know they won’t fulfill them. But I think that people should try to fulfill their resolutions even if they fail to live up to it because, in the end, they know that they tried their best at it and there’s always next year to be better and stronger.”

Like the Babylonian people, the concept of New Year resolutions is still apart of people’s lives today. Although many people aren’t seen with “return borrowed farm equipment” at the top of their list, as the Babylonians had, modern New Year’s resolutions are still being made by people as a way to set goals and start off the new year right.

Have you been keeping up with your 2014 New Year's Resolutions?

• I have not made any for 2014 (43%, 25 Votes)
• Yes (31%, 18 Votes)
• No (26%, 15 Votes)

Total Voters: 58

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