Some see the new year as a chance to start fresh, to set new goals and make improvements to their lifestyles to meet those goals.

Many students are starting off 2019 right by following through with their New Year’s Resolutions.

Every year students and teachers alike set goals for the upcoming year to improve in a section of their life or to get rid of an undesired behaviors or habits that they have.

The saying ‘New Year, New Me’ is commonly used when the year kicks off because of these new traditions that people are deciding to go through with.

These resolutions can be found in many aspects of a person’s life. Sports, academics, religion, family and friends are the most popular focus points for resolutions.

“I really want to try harder to improve my running skills,” senior Ryan Schaefer said. “It’s my last term here at Kettle Run, so in Track I definitely want to leave my mark and try my hardest.”

Sophomore Joey Andrews also has a running related goal.

“I plan on going through with running more,” Andrews said. “I want to train better and be more prepared for both the Cross Country season and Track.”

Athletic goals are popular each year, as people often find that the new year is a great time to kick off healthier lifestyle choices, like joining and routinely attending the gym.

According to Fitness Industry Association, around 12 per cent of gym members sign up in January and have most people have quit or stop going after 24 weeks.

Some students have other  goals such as dropping times to make it to states, getting all A’s, or getting out of their comfort zone and trying new things. Other students plan on making smaller lifestyle changes like spending more time with family and friends, or studying more.

“My goal is to start travelling more,” sophomore Rebecca Nefferdor said. “I am going to Costa Rica over summer, so I think this will be a fun experience and a good way to stay on my goal for travelling.”

Travelling is a fun and meaningful undertaking, but one that can be really expensive, so saving money is an important subgoal to your main resolution.

To accomplish this goal, the person that wants to improve in their personal life must follow through and complete their resolution for a full year.

However, making larger lifestyle changes takes a lot of time, effort, and commitment. Many times, those who make New Year’s Resolution’s also end up breaking them.

“People tend to fail due to not having enough motivation,” junior Kaitlin Sarver said. “Motivation is a big key to success, but if those trying to reach a goal think of it like it is not an issue, they won’t want to continue.”

But, there are ways to ensure that your New Year’s Resolution becomes a reality and not just a dream.

Many students want to make sure that they achieve this goal that they set for 2019 and have come up with different ways to stick to their goals.

“I think that those that succeed have a reason that gives them a purpose,” sophomore Maddy Edwards said. “It means something to them and they really want this thing to change in their life and that causes them to work hard at it.”

Recruit some of your family members or close friends to help motivate you and make sure you don’t fins yourself tempted to give up.

Each resolution requires a different set of steps in order to make sure it comes to fruition.

Those that are hoping to get better grades, are putting in the effort to study more and focus on school work. For those who want to spend more time with family and friends, try making time for a family night or just being together.

Another popular goal for teenagers is spending less time on your phone. As tough as it may seem to disconnect from your virtual world for a little while, there can be major benefits from unplugging including getting better sleep and reduced stress and anxiety.

Although there is speculation on the effectiveness of New Year’s resolutions, by having support from others, setting reachable goals, having a plan of action and keeping patience, anyone who sets up their goals can be successful.