Several students continue to follow through with their New Year’s resolutions while other students fall behind with a hectic schedule. | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Celebrations bringing in the New Year have come and gone. For many, reflections of 2013 were exchanged with renewed outlooks and resolutions for the year to come.
With the new year came many New Year’s resolutions — among the most popular ambitions being the desires to trim down and live a healthier lifestyle. However, as the beginning of the new year becomes a more distant memory, it is easy to get sidetracked and lose track of the “new year, new me” mentality.
According to a study by the University of Scranton, adherence to resolutions is about 75 percent after the first week, 71 percent after 2 weeks and 64 percent after one month. Only 46 percent of New Year’s resolutions make it past 6 months.
Many factors can affect adherence to resolutions, and it is especially difficult to avoid these obstacles in an educational environment.
Second-year pharmacy student Gregory Alquiza explained how he manages his schoolwork and his New Year’s resolution.
“My resolution was to work out every week for the entire semester, and I have been successful so far,” he said. “As a student, finding time to do anything extracurricular is difficult, so efficiency is key. I take Insanity classes at the (Campus Recreation and Wellness Center), because it always challenges me and motivates me to stay productive throughout the rest of the day.”
Finding the time and motivation to stick to a plan requires commitment and dedication, but these are not the only challenges that come along with resolutions.
Petroleum engineering junior Jersun Duarte recognized the triumphs and challenges associated with his New Year’s fitness goal.
“As I get older, I realize that it takes a lot longer for me to get in shape than when I was 18 and in the Marine Corps. To stay on track, I’ve been taking several group fitness classes at the Rec,” Duarte said. “But the hardest part about sticking to my resolution is eating right. To stay motivated, I set small goals — when I achieve those small goals, it makes the final objective seem less daunting.”
Though there are obvious internal and external challenges of sticking to a resolution, the work is worth it.
Whether you made New Year’s resolutions or not, it’s not too late.
If you have not been as successful as you would like, perhaps a reevaluation of your resolution is needed — it’s not a bad thing. Try setting smaller, more attainable goals that can be achieved monthly or weekly in order to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
The Daily Cougar previously shared tips on maintaining and reevaluating resolutions.
