Hilly's 2022 New Year's Resolutions

Hello, all. After a brief hiatus, Hilly is back. With the first month of 2022 coming to a close, I am here to discuss something that marks the start of every new year: New Year’s Resolutions. Now, I’m sure many of us made them, whether it was to get more sleep, take more time for ourselves, start going to the gym, etc. So, I’m going to share my New Year’s resolutions and let you know how well I am doing with them now that we are one-twelfth of the way through 2022.

1. Read more. Given that I am a newspaper, you would think I read constantly. But with the abundance of Netflix shows available, especially season 2 of Cheer, and the never ending seasons of The Bachelor, I have had quite a difficult time opening up a book lately. I have read about twenty pages of The Secret History by Donna Tart, but unfortunately I often fall victim to rewatching season 1 of The Good Place instead of revisiting the book.

2. Go outside every day. Now I wish I could say I was more successful with this resolution, but sadly I cannot tell a lie. If it wasn’t near or below 30º almost every day this month I like to think I would have been more successful. Let me tell you, I do not do well with the cold. Nothing is worse than waking up in a cold room and having to get out of bed, especially if you have a cold, tile floor. Yes, yes, I know that being outside in the fresh air is scientifically proven to be good for you, but I disagree, especially if that fresh air clocks in at sub-freezing temperatures.

3. Drink more water. I saved the best for last and I am pleased to tell you all that this is the one resolution I have somewhat stuck to. If you don’t have one already, I highly recommend getting yourself a reusable water bottle (no plastic waste here) and keeping it on you at all times. As mentioned in a previous Hilly article, the water fountains in this school are not to be relied on, and honestly I could go on and on about why water fountains in general are absolutely disgusting. The water bottle fillers though, those are incredible, one of the seven wonders of the world in my opinion. So, be like me, get yourself a reusable water bottle and use those water bottle fillers. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

So, now that you’ve seen my New Year’s Resolutions, and how poorly I’ve stuck to most of them, I just want to denounce the idea that there is any pressure to keep your resolutions if you find them harmful to your physical health, your mental health, or if they are taking away from your overall enjoyment of day-to-day life! In trying to better ourselves we can take way too much on that it actually hurts us instead of helping. I am all for self-improvement in the healthiest way possible, so listen to your body and do whatever you feel you need. Happy 2022!