New Year’s Eve is one of the most dangerous days of the year to be out and about. This span of 24 hours annually sees extremely high rates of alcohol consumption and drinking and driving, worldwide. Insurance Canopy says that in 2024, 54% of Americans’ favorite holiday to drink is New Year’s Eve. Hangover preparation is just one of the numerous traditions surrounding the last day of the year.
In the Philippines, people wear polka dots to bring good luck. In Cuba, people typically throw a bucket of water out their front doors to rid themselves of negative energy. Spaniards will eat 12 grapes underneath a table while making twelve wishes from midnight to 12:01 AM (five seconds per grape), which became a viral trend this year. And a surprising number of Americans celebrate by setting off illegal fireworks.
These customs aren’t the only traditions that take place at the beginning of a new year. People worldwide set resolutions, aiming to complete specific goals each day for the next 12 months. Unsurprisingly, 12 months is a really long time for anyone to stick to a new habit, and according to CBS News, fewer than 10% of Americans accomplish such goals for an entire year.
One of these 10% is IBW sophomore Genevie Mondero, who has successfully stuck with her resolutions a few times. Even though it’s a hard task and requires serious dedication, it’s definitely worth it because she feels very good when she completes them. “Every time, I write down a schedule,” she says, which keeps her on track.
It’s understandable that only a fraction of Americans’ resolutions survive 12 long months, but most people last less than one. Baylor College of Medicine says that 88% of people fail within the first two weeks of Jan., which is why the second Friday of the year is known as Quitters Day.
According to youth therapist M.K. Resk, “lots of people might set a goal of exercising in some big way… starting at the beginning of the New Year, and making a resolution. And then if they fall off the wagon and miss a day… it’s like ‘all or nothing’ thinking.” She says “that is the problem I see with New Year’s resolutions. [People who make them] can have the best intentions, but the minute something falls apart… people can bring a lot of shame upon themselves.”
A lot of research has been done over the past few years into the science of how people who fall into this trap can still complete their year long goals. Sometimes, it can be as simple as readjusting your perspective to a confident mindset. Forbes Health says “at its core, the success of approach-oriented goals is tied to how the brain responds to positive versus negative framing.”
An approach-oriented goal is a goal that adds beneficial aspects to your life, which triggers a chemical in your brain called dopamine, which makes you happy. Avoidance goals, like the decision to stop procrastinating, is the opposite and can build so much pressure that you feel disappointed when it’s hard to break the habit.
Another reason that many people don’t end up succeeding with their resolutions is because they don’t choose ones that would be effective for them. According to Drive Research, the most common resolutions made in 2024 were about improving fitness levels, mental health, and diets. Drive Research says that 62% of people feel pressured to make resolutions, and this affects the Gen Z age range the most.
IBW freshman Josephine Varon says, “[For] New Year’s resolutions, you kind of have to think, ‘Am I making these resolutions for myself, or am I making them because of the social norms, or because people around me are making them?’ [And how do you] keep that value with you?”
Committing to a yearlong resolution is hard, but the end result is entirely worthwhile. Even if you lose track of your original plan, you can still complete your goals successfully and end up feeling better about yourself, your mental health and your overall life.
