Let’s face it, it is very hard to stay ambitious when it comes to your New Year’s Resolutions. They seem reasonable at first, but progressively they seem more and more difficult to achieve. So, how do you stay committed to your resolutions? Well, that completely depends on what you’re trying to achieve.

Say you’re trying to get all A’s next semester, you ask yourself, “How do I do it?” It sounds like a draining and laborious task, but it isn’t as bad as it seems. Effort and commitment are the key to ensuring your grades are going to end up where you want them to. If you get a bad grade on a math test you didn’t study for, this is your sign to put yourself to task and study! Even if you study for less than five minutes a day, five minutes of studying is better than no studying.

When asked what good habits she sees in students who succeed, Ms. Lauren Montini, our 8th grade ELA t/high school English teacher said, “Organization. Definitely making notes of due dates, assignments, and reminders. Whether it’s in a planner, on the phone. But setting some type of reminder to get things done and budgeting their time wisely to make sure that everything does get finished.” If you don’t have the time to study at home, OCSA has AI (academic intervention), where you can take the first half of lunch to study in your teachers’ classroom without interruption. This school also has a Media Center/Library, provided with plenty of tables, seating, and computers for your studying needs. Not to mention, it provides several card and board games, so when you finish studying you can treat yourself to a little fun!

Speaking of fun, how do you make friendships in 2023? It starts with simple “Hello, my name is….” Which to my lovely introverts, is terrifying. But trust me, it is not the end of the world, even if it may feel like it. Think about it, the worst thing that can happen is that you end up with an acquittance, and it’s not bad to know people.  If you are looking for a way to start up a conversation other than “hello,” try complementing people. People love to be flattered, so appealing to that flattery is a good way to start. Let’s say someone is wearing a t-shirt of your favorite band, walk up to them, say you like their shirt and ask where they got it. Even if the conversation ends right there, you made a good impression on someone, and you know where to get a cool t-shirt.

Of course, there is always that little voice saying, “Won’t people judge me?” The sad truth is yes, people will judge you, but everyone has different taste. Some will like you, some won’t and that’s okay. It is important to live life to the fullest, that means living without care of what other people think of you. If you care about what other people think of you all the time, you are never going to live life the way you want to live it. Yes, people think differently than you, who cares? Don’t worry about people who don’t want the best for you, choose to hang out with people who love you for who you are. Staying true to yourself is the best thing you can do coming into the New Year.

Remember, consistency is key to keeping up with your New Year’s Resolutions. So, don’t give up so easily. Don’t burn out your ambition in the first week, start slow and make your way up from there. It’s okay to struggle, but it’s not okay to give up. Hope you found this helpful and have a happy New Year!