Kennedy Booker

“There’s always room for improvement,” the common cliché remains true. When the year is coming to an end, people begin to realize this cliché more than ever. According to StatisticsBrain.com, 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. However, only 8 percent of them are successful in achieving their resolutions each year.

“My New Year’s resolution is to be more productive and not procrastinate for everything,” Senior Hannah Hossley said. According to Topuniversities.com, this resolution is popular among students across the country. Three out of four people maintain their resolutions through the first week.

The most common goals for 2014 (According to StatisticsBrain.com):

1. Lose Weight

2. Getting Organized

3. Spend Less, Save More

4. Enjoy Life to the Fullest

5. Staying Fit and Healthy

6. Learn Something Exciting

7. Quit Smoking

8. Help Others in Their Dreams

9. Fall in Love

10. Spend More Time with Family

The New York Times reports that memberships for health clubs and weight-loss programs spike each January, but a large percentage of the population doesn’t make resolutions at all. “Truthfully I don’t understand why people do that. I always have goals and when I meet them I make new ones,” senior Alyssa Worden said.

To help meet newly formed resolutions, “Time” magazine suggests that instead of listing an abstract goal like “lose weight,” think of creating smaller steps that can be completed every day, that will have the same result.