Another year and another spring semester has come upon us. ‘Tis the season for more unexpected snow days, inexplicable construction projects by the Pit and, of course, the fruition of New Years’ resolutions. Whether you’ve committed to working out five times a week or spending less time online shopping in class or eating more broccoli or traveling to New Zealand to visit Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth, (OK, I’m definitely projecting here), your goals for this year are valid and worth making.
New Years’ resolutions, especially those we make as students, are not dumb. People have been making them for centuries, and yet we’re quick to reject them. It seems so naïve that we could just make a decision about our lives one day and expect them to change, right? Wrong.
People who set out to do something are more likely to accomplish it than people who don’t, because moving forward toward desired goals with concentrated effort and intention is not only effective but healthy. Be specific with them.
Baby steps, that’s all you need — don’t convince yourself that you’ve lagged behind because you haven’t met your goals as quickly as you told yourself you should. Let the goals show up in your planner and your conversations. Share them with the people around you.
As for me, some of my goals, like traveling the world or incorporating more broccoli into my diet, might be a little far-fetched (I really hate broccoli). But here at The Daily Tar Heel, I think my goals are a bit more attainable. I’m overjoyed to serve as the assistant opinion editor for this coming semester, working along with Opinion Editor Ramishah Maruf and the rest of the Editorial Board. I hope to promote more inclusivity and openness both during our Editorial Board meetings and among our audiences, so that the messages being produced each week truly represent the diversity of opinions on our campus. Listening to others, taking in feedback, leading conversations, writing more columns — these are all goals that can be achieved, little by little.
What are your goals for the new year?
