People all over the world have used New Year’s resolutions as a goal-setting technique for centuries. But many propose the questions: are they even effective? Are they worth making, or just a waste of time?

“They help me give myself a plan and goals to work hard towards achieving. It helps me get into a routine and have a set thing to work towards and put my effort into,” an FHS student says.

New Year’s resolutions have been around for a very long time. Many have cracked the code to sticking to their goal regiment, but there are also quite a few who deal with the latter. Setting goals at the beginning of the year sets a standard for the 365 days ahead, which can be troublesome in itself.

When surveyed, 85.7% of FHS students that made resolutions kept up with them for the duration of the year.

Many choose to nix the whole idea, deeming it pointless. There are a fair few who choose to play the upcoming year day-by-day, reaching personal goals that are constantly changing. About 74% percent of the American adult population is determined to set resolutions, leaving 24% of today’s adults without a goal-setting procedure for the new year.

“I need raw motivation to get goals done simply the fact that it’s New Year’s will not help,” another student says.

The most common resolutions follow the idea of a diet, or an increase in exercise. Though those are used most, resolutions vary greatly from person to person. They are a way to measure individual progress and success, and can be used in many different ways.

New Year’s resolutions, effective or not, instill hope for a successful upcoming year. Setting goals is never a bad idea, even if you forget to follow through!