Ten from the Top: New Year’s Resolutions I won’t make for 2016
Ten from the Top is the weekly column of the very honest and often snarky thoughts of District’s editor-in-chief.
In these few weeks we have seen the changes. Friends and family deciding to alter their habits and possibly who they are in order to “be better this year.” I am done making resolutions. I am just tired of trying to change something just because it is a new year and dictate what I want when so much can change in the next 365 days. So instead here are the resolutions I’m not going to keep this year — not even close.
1. Lose weight
This is everyone’s go to, duh. Everyone wants to be skinner and if you say “never have” you are lying. I want to lose weight but this failed because the first year I didn’t set a number that I wanted to lose so I had nothing to work for and the next year my number wasn’t realistic. It’s something I want to work on but not something I need to hold over my own head and base every decision about for a whole year.
2. Be healthier
In my opinion, this is just as bad as losing weight. It’s the same idea but it sounds better but there really isn’t a way to judge how you are doing all year unless you set something clear in mind from the get go. Something like ” I want to be able to do an eight minute mile,” you can work towards and track, so if this is your resolution make a game plan from day one.
3. Something I’ve never done before
Resolutions will get you in trouble if you aren’t prepared so maybe this isn’t the best time to start something brand new. A few years ago my resolution was to be able to ride my bike to and from class two times a week, which isn’t bad except I had never ridden a bike in the city before. After one terrifying/ life-flashing-before-my-eyes experience I gave up, but since it was a resolution for the whole year I felt guilty every time I saw someone riding to class.
4. Expand my horizons
The really fancy way of saying do new things instead of the old things I really like doing anyway: which is exactly why it doesn’t work well. I like doing certain things they are predictable and fun. I understand that sometimes new things are cool too but often they aren’t so if you just go do new stuff instead of Netflix or — whatever is your standard — do it with people and make the experience your time with them, not the specific thing.
5. Quit a bad habit
Do you know why we have bad habits because we like them. Now if your bad habit is going to be something that eventually kills you (smoking, drinking to excess, saying slang words like “fleek” around me) then maybe this isn’t a bad idea, but my excessive coffee addiction and cracking my knuckles isn’t going anywhere.
6. Travel more
This is a cool idea but if I can’t afford my textbooks a plane ticket is pretty out of the question. I’ll couch surf if I want to see someplace new but the last time I made this resolution my travel savings went to car insurance and my rent, and I was just as happy.
7. Better grades
Just work hard in school, seriously you (or someone who does care about your education) is paying too much for you to goof off all the time. If you don’t get those straight A’s but pulled out that low B in the class that took multiple all nighters, be proud of that.
8. Start a daily something
These are the notebooks I have lining my walls filled with seven pages and never touched again, or the blog people start and then post on in March saying “sorry but they got busy.” Doing something everyday is tough, and then doing it everyday for hundreds of days consecutively is nearly impossible. If you really want to do this pick something you do a lot anyway and say you will do it everyday. If you miss a day (it will happen) then make yourself go back and do it anyways.
9. Meet someone special
I wish it was this easy to just be ready for a relationship or casual date or booty call or whatever the heck you want and one would magically appear, except it doesn’t work like that. Put yourself out there, join tinder, sit in a coffee shop and stare at cute people but know it might not turn into anything. If it does, though, know it is not just because you were ready but because you were willing to put in the effort.
10. Make this the “Year to Remember”
I promise you, this year will probably be no more special in the grand scheme of your life then any other. It will be important though, the small parts of staying up late with friends or spontaneously bursts of excitement and exhaustion. Make memories, important or not and 2016 might not be so bad.
