Nighthawks’ New Year’s Resolutions
Sasha Greenhall (‘22) and Sophie Bulkin (‘22) entered 2021 with high hopes and positive intentions. The beginning of a new year for many means a fresh start, a time to reflect, and a chance to strive towards goals that have rolled on from years before. For Greenhall and Bulkin, this means creating New Year’s resolutions.
Greenhall said that resolutions can be made during any time of the year. Despite this, she said enjoys partaking in this tradition on the first day of the New Year. This year, she said she is focusing on taking more time for herself and attaching less of her mental health to her school work. Greenhall said she also hopes to travel more this year after dealing with such strict limitations in 2020.
Bulkin also had similar thoughts on the New Year tradition.
“The New Year gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past and re-evaluate the choices we’ve made so that we can better ourselves in hopes of becoming the ‘new you,’” she said. Bulkin said she likes to create specific resolutions that are attainable and completable within a year’s span. This year, she is focusing on decreasing her screen time to focus on things that make her a better person: reading more books, and spending her free time doing things she really enjoys.
However, others like Stephen Walicki (‘22) say that the idea of turning a new leaf is pointless. Walicki said that New Year’s resolutions make people complacent by making them think they’re “accomplishing something.” He said people who religiously create New Year’s resolutions are jumping ahead and skipping the small steps. Setting these high standards may be unrealistic and counterproductive, he said.
Whether or not students believe in the tradition of creating resolutions at the top of the year, many still have ambitions for 2021. Greenhall said she hopes to finally travel again if things “go back to normal” and reconnect with friends she lost touch with in the new digital world. Bulkin also said she hopes to for a return to running into friends in the halls and seeing people on a regular basis. Walicki said he wants to set himself in a good headspace and embrace more of himself.
After the eventful 2020, many students have a more optimistic outlook for the events of this year. Bulkin claims that the events in 2020 immensely changed her perspective on life as her “Type A” personality has relaxed.
“After experiencing a year where I couldn’t plan out my days, I realized that you really just have to take life as it comes,” Bulkin said. “I don’t really have any intentions this year other than to be as positive as I can and work my hardest during these weird times!”