New Year’s Resolutions Are Pointless

that keeping this resolution meant placing this reminder on an already long and nonsensical iPhone to-do list. There was something insincere about this resolution. I knew I could exercise whenever, and there would be no real consequences if I didn’t. It was then that I decided to stop making New Year’s resolutions, and I’ve never felt the need to make another again.

Americans participate in this tradition in an unreasonable manner. Statista found that America’s most common resolutions for 2023 were either to exercise more, eat healthier or lose weight. Making these resolutions is a perfect example of what not to do. Similar to my middle school resolution, these goals could benefit our everyday lives. The problem is the stress created about them, which can discourage people from completing their goals.

I soon realized that I am not the only one who is frustrated and unfulfilled by this annual tradition. Experts agree that for some, making an unrealistic commitment at the beginning of the year can be challenging at best and counterproductive at worst.

Mia Wiston, a clinical psychologist based in New York City, explained that, “Setting resolutions can increase stress in someone who’s had a hard time with goal-setting at other times of year.”

She added that the ambitious but vague resolutions that we often set can make it difficult for us to achieve them, which can lead to self-criticism and disappointment. While we shouldn’t shy away from self-improvement, we need to make sure that any goals we set for ourselves are realistic.

Nutritionist Rebecca Brownstein also reminded students not to try to juggle too many difficult resolutions.

“While it is great for someone to have goals to give up smoking, drinking and lose weight in the next six months, doing many things at once can be difficult,” she said.

Many members of Generation Z are at an age that requires big, life-changing decisions. That may not be the best time to be adding on more broad, unrealistic and stressful resolutions. Despite this, Forbes Health reported that “Gen Z feels more pressure to set a resolution than any other generation.”

A New York Post survey from 2020 suggested that a lack of discipline, busy schedules and the time needed to successfully meet resolutions are the top reasons people abandon them. These factors are especially prevalent in the lives of college students. Additionally, many of us still feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether we lost someone to COVID-19 or continue to struggle after years of remote learning, some still find themselves lacking the willpower to complete daily responsibilities concerning academics, jobs and other obligations. While it can be beneficial to set a goal for ourselves, it is essential to focus on the basics, especially if we are already overwhelmed with other responsibilities.

We should refrain from forcing ourselves to fit our goals into our busy schedules. College is a time of constant stress, and if we pressure ourselves into something, it is counterproductive to the goal of creating a healthy, stress-free lifestyle. Instead, we should be more aware of the reality that time is finite. No matter how much I want to read 500 books in a year, I know that is impossible given my other responsibilities at school and at home.

Since resolutions aren’t disappearing anytime soon, a few changes are necessary to make this obsolete tradition more fulfilling.