New Year, New GHS?

It’s that time of year again when snow is in the air, and you look back at everything that’s happened in the past 365 days. Like many people around the world, GHS students and staff have made New Year’s resolutions for 2023. The renewed motivation that comes with this fresh start can inspire some and pressure others. Despite this, there’s no doubt that GHS is coming into 2023 with a wide array of goals to accomplish.

However, let’s first look at the country as a whole. America’s most common New Year’s resolutions are to exercise more, eat healthier, and spend more time with family and friends (Armstrong). These resolutions represent a desire for self-improvement and a renewed focus on what matters most in one’s life. So, do GHS student and staff resolutions align with the rest of the country?

Our survey of 54 GHS students and staff found that the most common resolutions were to sleep more, work out, and have more financial responsibility. For instance, Junior Greyson White says she wants to “get better sleep because [she] doesn’t get enough now.” To accomplish this, Greyson plans to “get off [her] phone earlier and put it in a different room.” The Sleep Foundation supports this goal and says that “sleep is often overlooked in New Year’s resolutions, but it is one of the most fundamental steps to improving wellness.” Other health-related resolutions that GHS students have are to eat healthier and meditate more in the New Year.

Sophomore Susu Nguyen hopes to spend more time engaging in the hobbies she loves outside of school. Susu plans to “read more and expand the genres that [she] reads.” Her resolution reflects a common sentiment among students to strike a balance between academics and personal passions. “Since the school year started”, says Susu, “I stopped reading as much as I did over the summer.” Lexi Oliver, a senior, also plans to read more in the New Year because “reading books gives [her] joy.” We are glad to see students taking time for themselves and focusing on what matters most to them.

Lastly, we spoke to senior Annie Erickson about her resolution to “be more decisive and confident with [her] decisions.” She stated her frustration with not being able to make decisions by saying, “when I’m ordering food and can’t decide what to eat, I just end up leaving hungry,” for example. Overall, Annie plans to pursue her interests without hesitation and learn to not dwell on the potential consequences.

Other GHS students share in Annie’s desire to be more confident and not hold back in the new year. “I want to put myself out there and not be afraid to step out of my comfort zone,” says senior Molly Madden. These tie in with other GHS students’ resolutions to meet new people and be nicer.

All in all, GHS students and staff are committed to bettering themselves and their community in 2023. We wish you all the best of luck and applaud members of the GHS community for making an effort to improve themselves. Happy New Year, GHS!