Making a resolution to make a change that benefits your life is a tradition for many on Jan. 1. With good intentions of starting the year off right, many people look to improve upon their last year. Goals like working out more, eating better, spending less time watching TV are common endeavors. Although we put these plans forth, are they benefiting us beyond the first week of January? Do they actually serve to better our lives or our they just symbolic? Lifestyle says that less than ten percent of people stick to New Year’s resolutions because of a variety of factors.

“My New Year’s resolution was to watch less YouTube,” said junior Rebecca Dalton, “but I’m actually watching more and I’ve even found a new genre.”

Dalton tried to watch less YouTube by distracting herself with other activities like texting but she did not give it her full effort. Likewise, one senior said that her resolution was to be more nice but it is, “not working out.” According to Psych Central, the keys to combating these factors and keeping your New Year’s resolutions are to

1. Be realistic: don’t make resolutions that are to ambitious. If you are looking to make a major lifestyle change, take it step by step, don;’t try to accomplish it all at once and stress yourself out. Keep it a manageable.

2. Have support: Tell all your friends and family about your new years goals. Letting others know what you are trying to achieve will give you encouragement to keep it up. Making a resolution with a friend is a good way to encourage each other to stick to it.

3. Keep it up, remind yourself of your goals: Even if people are able to stick to their resolutions for a few weeks, there are still 11 months to go. Make sure you remind yourself what you committed to and why you are doing it in the first place.

4. Don’t give up: cheat on that diet? Forget about your resolution for a month? It’s all about perseverance- recognize its ok to fall off the wagon, the important part is getting back on.

Junior Sabrina Castro said her resolution last year was to get better grades. “I think I did okay, but I think it is also my New Year’s resolution this year,” said Castro while acknowledging that she started of strong, but didn’t continue.

Psych Central also stresses the importance of pre-thought. Before you make a resolution, think about how you will follow through and don’t start the year not following through.