It’s hard for most high school students to commit to something (or someone). Despite this, most people at Arcata High are creating New Year’s resolutions for 2026. Whether it be for self-improvement, personal growth, or motivation, there are many reasons why someone might set goals for the future. Some students’ resolutions might be successful, but many more will fall short.
A New Year’s resolution can also be described as an intention or commitment towards a personal goal. Humans have made resolutions for over 4,000 years, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, a 234-year-old publication with tips on gardening, weather, astronomy, and much more. A tradition withstanding history, resolutions hold an important part in many peoples New Year’s traditions.
“I have always made New Year’s resolutions. Resolutions help you to set goals and reach them,” freshman Nova Garwood said.
The ancient Babylonians and Romans recorded the first examples of resolutions. Every January, a month that celebrates the Roman God Janus, ancient Romans would reflect on the past year and look forward to new beginnings. Janus is the guardian of gates and doors, and many people offered sacrifices to him or made promises of good behavior and change.
Similar to today’s resolutions, these promises didn’t last long. By the 17th century, the idea of making and then breaking New Year’s resolutions was quite comical to many. Resolutions became elaborate and unattainable, as if people intended to talk their dreams into existence.
Today, people try to make resolutions more realistic and attainable. In order to grow personally and see positive change, people narrow their resolutions down, or at least they’ve tried.
“I think it’s hard to be consistent [with resolutions] if they’re out of reach. I try to set goals that are reachable for me,” Garwood said.
Nowadays, fewer than 10% of people accomplish their New Year’s resolution goals, a strikingly low number. Resolutions fail when they don’t become habits. Too many, too complicated, or unattainable resolutions won’t mature into day-to-day habits that will continue.
Resolutions are more likely to stick if they’re kept specific, manageable, and treated with patience. Having measurable, achievable, and low-stress goals sparks a path to consistency in 2026.
“It’s easy to fail if you’re not motivated or if the goals you set are unattainable,” freshman Kamplyn Mohrmann believes. “I think you have to make sure it’s something you want to accomplish really badly and something that you have time for. Make sure it’s not unreasonable or unreachable.”
Some popular New Year’s resolutions include spending more time with family, more time outside, self-limiting social media use, or volunteering in the community. To make these resolutions more attainable, specifying can help. Instead of ‘spending more time with family,’ say ‘play a game with my family once a week.’ Instead of ‘spending more time outside,’ make a goal to ‘go for one walk a week in nature’. This simple reframing can make all the difference in the outcome.
“I think it’s easy to achieve your goals if you ask for help and push through,” sophomore Ares Her said.
Make sure to remain patient with yourself throughout the New Year. Don’t give up after one mistake; instead, push through and achieve as many of your goals as possible. Remember: you set them for a reason!
