As the new year quickly approaches, students begin to wonder what 2023 will hold for them. So it’s about time to start making plans and setting New Year’s resolutions.

But really, what is a New Year’s resolution? How did it all begin? The Ancient Babylonians some 4,000 years ago were said to be the first people to celebrate the New Year and make New Year’s resolutions. Their New Year’s celebration was called Akitu, a religious festival that occurred over 12 days. During Akitu, the ancient Babylonians made promises to their gods and showed their loyalty to the reigning king; these promises were considered some of the first New Year’s resolutions. A similar celebration took place in Rome, where Julius Caesar established January 1st as the beginning of the new year. These traditions and celebrations have carried on to the modern era. 

In today’s time, New Year’s resolutions are a promise or goal for many people– something they want to accomplish to begin the new year with inspiration.

Everybody has different goals in mind for the New Year so, students of St. Pete High were surveyed on their New Year’s resolutions. Though students gave many different responses, a few students said they “don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions.” One student claims this is because they “sometimes don’t have a goal for the year yet, life throws a lot of curveballs and you never know what might come next.” Another student says that it’s simply because they won’t follow through with it. However, the majority of students surveyed are making New Year’s resolutions for 2023.

Many students had academic goals, underclassmen wanted to earn better grades by creating better study habits and managing their time better. Upperclassmen wanted to begin touring colleges and earning good grades to graduate and pave a better path toward college. Students plan to achieve these goals by studying hard, creating an organized plan, and remaining focused in school. Other students would like to see themselves change for the better in the new year by eating healthy, working out, and taking care of their bodies.

It’s always good to set goals for ourselves in order to achieve great things. As the students grow up, their resolutions may change significantly. Nevertheless, no matter how old they are, New Years’ will always feel like a fresh start, and an opportunity to grow as a person.