Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day is an annual celebration of giving up. That is to say, giving up on unrealistic and stress-inducing goals. The new holiday was undoubtedly celebrated by many on Jan. 17, as reality started to set in for idealists everywhere.
Despite its connotation, Ditch New Year’s Resolution Day has an ironically positive message. Setting huge, unreachable goals can sometimes do more damage than good.
New Year’s resolutions can be really overwhelming and cause self-esteem to plummet when success is not easily achieved. Instead, the day hopes to encourage us to take a step back and start planning more thoughtfully. By taking small steps and not placing a strict deadline on progress, working on lasting change can be done at a healthy pace.
Montclair State University students have mixed opinions about New Year’s resolutions but agreed that self-reflection is a valuable marker of growth.
Daniela Meneses, a senior majoring in computer science, feels the action of setting goals is sometimes more important than the goals themselves.
“Even if you don’t follow through to the rest of the year, at least it’s still a positive attempt at change,” Meneses said.
Daniela Meneses prepares a raw cauliflower for a salad, as she works toward her New Year’s resolution of starting the Whole30 diet. Photo courtesy of Daniela Meneses
This year, Meneses hopes to start the Whole30 diet and improve her overall health.
Senior communication studies major Lindsay Slaff thinks that New Year’s resolutions aren’t hinged to a specific date and should instead be considered open-ended goals.
“It may not start on the first, and the same resolution may be repeated each year, but at some point it’s at least attempted,” Slaff said. “People forget that still matters.”
Slaff is planning to read more books, be consistent with her vitamins and immerse herself in nature on a monthly basis.
Lindsay Slaff, who believes New Year’s resolutions can be made any day in the year, accepts a certificate at the National Society of Leadership and Success induction. Photo courtesy of Lindsay Slaff
Last year, sophomore television and digital media major Nicholas Cherrey spoke with The Montclarion about his goals to start going to the gym and getting a job.
“It did take me a while, but in the fall semester I started going to the gym and working out about 2-3 times a week,” Cherrey said.
Cherrey was also able to secure an internship at POSH Entertainment. Now that he’s accomplished his resolutions for 2018, he opted to take a break this year.
Sometimes it’s better to approach goals with patience or revisit them with a better plan and more clarity. The American Psychological Association suggests starting small, changing one behavior at a time, talking about it and not beating yourself up if you need to readjust your expectations.
