RESOLUTION GOALS By Kelsey Schauf
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s the year winds down, people are reflecting on the changes they want to make in the New Year—deciding, perhaps, after that 150th gym commercial, whether or not to sign up. New Year’s Resolutions look a lot different than they did many years ago, so let’s first look at where these resolutions came from. The ancient Babylonians are said to have been the first group of people to start New Year’s Resolutions almost 4,000 years ago. In addition, they are said to be the first people to have a celebration to honor the new year, which began in mid-March when the crops were planted. The Babylonians hosted a large 12-day religious festival during this time known as Akitu. Here is where the “resolutions” came in. During this 12-day festival, the Babylonians made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. If people kept their word, the gods would grant them favors in the coming year. If people did not keep their word—well, let’s just say they didn’t get many favors.
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