The Observer, January 26, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 14
New Year's resolutions easily made manageable
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The sparkling apple cider has been poured, the ball dropped, and Dick Clark has packed up and left the studio. New Year's Eve has ended, and the real thing has come: the New Year. Walking into Veale, it quickly becomes apparent what really defines New Year's: the resolutions. People take a good, long look at their lives, decide what they don't like about themselves, and resolve to do better next time. But everyone knows the drill: even when we promise mountains, we often barely make it past the two week mark before our short-lived resolutions die tragic deaths.
To find out how to keep our resolutions from fading so quickly, William Hale, a psychologist for Case's University Counseling Services, offered to illuminate the best ways not to find yourself sitting on the treadmill with a gallon of ice cream.
According to Hale, "most people get into this all or nothing thinking about resolutions…they get so far along and then they fail. This is why the best way to keep up is to start small and work your way up. Just because you fail doesn't mean you're a failure, it means you're human…look to the successes up to the point [where] you messed up and reward yourself for your accomplishments."
Additionally, it is important to make smart resolutions. Make sure your goals are something you personally are passionate about achieving and also ones that are feasible and specific. Resolving never to touch sugar for the entire year may sound nice, but come the first barrage of exams, you'll be reaching for that chocolate and leaving your resolution under a pile of Hershey bars. Instead of such a large goal, resolve to cut down dessert consumption by three days a week. Reachable resolutions will give you a tangible bar to meet and can provide the encouragement necessary to keep you trekking.
And resolutions don't have to be cliché: sophomore Devesh Menawat, for example, has resolved to set aside an hour every two weeks just to read for fun. By creating a feasible resolution, even in the face of a demanding schedule, the chances of success are much higher.
Specificity is also important; simply deciding to "lose weight" doesn't give you a plan to achieve the goal. "I resolve to work out three days a week for thirty minutes" tells you exactly what you should be doing, and allows you to gauge your success. When you are battling your alarm clock for consciousness to get to the gym in the morning, knowing what you need to do can get you going.
Last, but not least, involve your friends and family in your goal setting. Work with another person to hold each other accountable for your resolutions. By being smart and dedicated, you can beat the statistics and stick to your resolutions.
In addition to general guidelines, Hale also had tips for one of the most common New Year's resolutions, stress management. At Case, it is certainly not abnormal to see students pulling all-nighters to study for nerve-racking exams and worrying about how they will complete their work on time.
Though it isn't possible to remove all the sources of stress, it is possible to find better ways to manage it. The first step in doing this is to identify what causes your stress and what steps can be feasibly taken to cope more effectively with the stressor. For example, delegating tasks to others in organizations or setting up a study schedule to keep on top of schoolwork can minimize the anxiety caused by deadlines and exams. It is also important to ensure that your attitude is healthy. Expecting complete perfection in everything or blowing minute events out of proportion can take an unnecessary emotional toll. By recognizing flaws in your methods of dealing with problems and your attitudes, a much healthier lifestyle can be achieved.
With all of this great advice, you too can win the resolution battle, even as Veale and the desserts in Fribley slowly empty, and become a happier, healthier person in the coming New Year.
