The clock slowly winds down. Every second seems to pass slower than the previous. “5, 4, 3, 2, 1a�� Happy New Year!” People all over the country celebrate in unison. Everyone is ecstatic for this new beginning. With this new start, an opportunity for change is born; this change often comes in the form of New Year’s Resolutions.

“[The new year] presents an easy opportunity for someone who wants to make a change in their lives,” said junior Tori MacLeod. “It’s a good starting point if you want to do something new.”

All over FHC, people have been setting goals for the upcoming year. While these goals come in all different shapes and sizes, people often strive to improve themselves in the upcoming year. These goals vary from person to person. Senior Hannah Anderson is hoping to improve her physical strength and overall health this year. She is hoping to gain arm strength by doing pushups each day.

“[Arm strength] will definitely help me on the lacrosse field, which is the main motivation behind [my goal],” Hannah said.

Math teacher Rebecca Lipke also has a similar goal. She is hoping to find more time to relax and is also is trying to implement healthy habits. In order to stay focused on her goal for the whole year, Lipke planned her resolution with the help of her family. She wrote goals down with her husband and all of her children.

“This is the first year that I’ve done [a resolution] so thoughtfully in a really long time,” Lipke said. “I think part of it is because we did it with the kids this year.”

Lipke’s daughter, freshman Zoe Lipke, is hoping to focus on the big picture in life this year.

“I tend to worry about random stuff that shouldn’t [bug me],” Zoe said.

While Hannah, Lipke, and Zoe all have goals with personal benefits in mind, Tori is hoping to help others with her resolution. Tori is a regular volunteer at Mackenzie’s Animal Sanctuary. This year, she hopes to place many dogs in new homes.

“It’s something that I’m passionate about,” Tori said. “[I want to] get dogs into families.”

Aside from these examples, many other students have also set resolutions. While all of these individual goals are very different from each other, they all have been formed due to the start of the new year.

“I think a lot of people designate the new year for an opportunity for change since it’s the change of one year,” Hannah said.

In order to create their goals, it is important to seek improvement for yourself and others.

“[A resolution] will either make you happier with yourself or it will help others be happy, which will make you happy,” Tori said.

If someone wishes to set a goal, there are several important rules to follow. A good resolution must be carefully planned. It is crucial to set a goal that is actually important. Hannah believes that if someone sets a goal that is silly, it is just a waste of time.

“Don’t make dumb goals to follow,” Hannah said, “Don’t use all your energy on a goal that isn’t going to benefit you in the long run. Make sure the goal you’re trying to pursue has an actual purpose.”

Aside from setting a goal that is actually important, a good resolution must also be realistic. If a student has all D’s and their resolution is to get a 4.0 GPA, that would not be a good resolution.

“I think that’s part of goal setting,” Lipke said. “You’ve got to set realistic goals.”

After taking the time to create a goal, the next step is following through with it. This can be a rather daunting task. Most people tend to forget about their goal after a few weeks. Lipke believes that writing down your goals can make the process easier.

“You do definitely lose sight of [resolutions] as the months go on,” Lipke said. “This is the first year that we have ever written them down and have them taped up in a place where we can all see them. That’s going to help a little bit because in two or three months, when it’s not as fresh, they’re there.”

Another key motivation to follow your resolution can come from the people around you. By telling the people around you what your resolution is, they can help you stay on the right track. These significant people can hold you accountable.

“It’s really hard to do stuff on your own,” Hannah said. “It’s healthy and important to keep a support group around you.”

While following through with these goals can be difficult, often times the final result is worth it. No matter how big or small the change is, it can be very rewarding to stay with your goal.

“It makes me feel good throughout the year if I keep my New Year’s Resolution,” Zoe said. “If I make a goal, I like to stick to it.”

Lipke has seen successful changes in many of her students. For the freshmen particularly, she often sees them follow through with their life changes and goals.

“I see a lot of changes in kids, particularly freshmen, who start the year a certain way and just don’t get it,” Lipke said. “It’s interesting how they’ll have a low moment about 6 weeks into the school year, and then they’re like, “Okay, this is what I want to accomplish.a�� They decide if their goal was to do well in high school, but they weren’t taking the steps, [the teachers and the students] find what steps they need to do. I’ve seen a lot of kids in that situation.”

Even if you think it is not possible, anyone can achieve their goals. All it takes is some hard work and dedication.

“The more you work at it, the easier it’ll become until it does become a habit,” Tori said. “Just keep pushing. Don’t give up. “