The New Year came and many people either chose a New Year’s resolution or a One-Word idea to follow throughout the year. New Year’s resolutions are like life goals such as losing weight, studying harder, eating healthier and even more, while one-words surround the idea of how you want to approach the new year such as the word discipline, integrity, and choice.  The idea of one-word resolutions has just been introduced to the students by the AP and Dual Credit English 4 teacher, Heather Preston. As we enter the month of February, where resolutions are known to fail, we question the effectiveness of one-word resolutions compared to New Year’s resolutions.

Preston says that she got the idea of one-word resolutions off of Twitter by another educator by the name of Sean Fahey as everyone came back from Christmas break last year. She wanted to do something other than New Year’s resolutions to allow her students to think about their previous year and their upcoming new year.

“I think it will give my students the opportunity to reflect throughout the year on how they’re doing to achieve their goals,” she said.

Preston thinks that compared to New Year’s resolutions, one-words can allow a person to be more flexible with themselves. She explains that New Year’s resolutions are difficult because you promise yourself to do something, but if you start to slip, you tend to get lazy and end up telling yourself that you’ll do it next year.

“Having a one word allows my students to forgive themselves and it’s a little bit more attainable,” Preston said.

Sophomore Angie Porta had her own one-word resolution. The word connection. Porta says that she still is honoring her one-word as it reminds her to have a better connection with herself and allows her to remember who she is as a person. She goes on to say that she believes that New Year’s resolutions are more difficult to keep up with than one-word resolutions.

“New Year’s resolutions can be portrayed as heavy weights on one’s shoulder. They’re difficult to stay true to, but with one-words, they allow me to express myself more,” Porta says.

While some have chosen to do one-word resolutions, Senior Erin Wisch has set relearning German as her New Year’s resolution. She admits that she’s gone pretty far into her goal, but she sometimes struggles because it’s hard to keep up with.

“I fell off the week after break just because the goal I set was unrealistic, but I’m back on!” she said.

Wisch says that her New Year’s resolution has definitely motivated her to try a little harder in her classes and maintain her schedules, even if they all seem so worthless at that moment.

“It feels really good to maintain a solid goal. Especially one so important to me,” she said.