Students and teachers have two distinct beginnings in their year: the start of the school year and the New Year. With each comes its unique challenges and opportunities. But the night before the first day back simulates Christmas Eve: the anticipation of the day to follow prolongs the inevitable first day jitters through sleepless nights. We are anxious for something new, for a better or different tomorrow. For the same reason we make resolutions, we tick by the seconds until our alarms go off too early. And when the day comes, how will we handle it? What should we do when the calendar changes but take advantage of it with full gusto?
I spoke to several students with this revitalized attitude. Some have chosen to delete or cut back on social media for 2024. Others would like to get their driver's license, work out daily, read more novels, or increase their time spent with family. Teachers chimed in and said they would, for example, hike twenty-four trails, read fifty books, or organize their homes.
But the reality is, sometimes the first day jitters will get to the most motivated of us. We make ambitious goals in preparation for the new start but when the fuse goes out, we lose discipline. The word of the year, commitment, offers a solution to our fleeting motivation. If we approach goals with as much commitment as we have motivation, the discipline will fall in suit.
Best of luck in your resolutions and Happy New Year!
SOTO Student Insiders