At the beginning of every year, people around the world make resolutions to better themselves and their lives for the year ahead. Students at Aliso Niguel are no different as they look for ways to improve themselves in 2026.
A common resolution in the United States is a push to become healthier. Oftentimes, these resolutions include goals to eat a more balanced diet and exercise more.
Daniel Xu (12) wants to “work out and exercise more” in 2026. His resolution stemmed from an observation that his “immune system is really weak.”
Other common goals for many students in the new year also surround healthy lifestyles. Students around campus aim to drink more water, improve their self-care and get more sleep.
Sloan Lorenzo (12) said, “My New Year’s resolution is to floss my teeth every night. I felt like it was a very important step of dental care that I need to be taking more seriously.”
Although many people continue to set resolutions for themselves every year, most fail and abandon their goals before the end of January. The difficult part for students is getting into a sustainable routine.
Lorenzo’s plan to maintain her resolution to floss is by “habit stacking,” meaning remembering to floss immediately after brushing her teeth so she does not forget.
Some people want to work towards achieving something in the year ahead. For example, students may work to learn a new language, improve their grades for the spring semester, or even learn a skill they have always wanted to learn.
The new year is a perfect time to find a new passion or start a project, especially with the holiday break leaving students with new items and giving them time off from school at the beginning of the year to pursue their interests.
Laurel Thurman (12) shared, “I feel like I’ve needed some change in my life and break up the routine I’ve been stuck in for so long. I want to pick an activity by the end of January and get myself to stick to it fairly consistently, or at least until I’ve developed some mastery of it, so I can say I’ve really experienced it.”
The beginning of 2026 is a good reset for students at Aliso Niguel to try to stop the issues they had last year. For example, many students frequently procrastinate their assignments until the very last minute, often by doomscrolling on social media apps. To prevent a repeat of the behavior, people make New Year’s resolutions that they will spend less time on social media.
Lorenzo’s routine stacking is a great method of following through on a resolution, yet it does not apply to all scenarios. Another effective way to meet goals is to work toward an end with someone else. Motivation is much harder to lose when surrounded by friends and family who have also decided to improve their lives.
When asked about his plan to maintain his resolution of exercising more, Xu responded, “I’m forcing my friend to be my gym/hiking buddy.”
People across the globe set goals for themselves in the new year to improve their habits and general well-being, and Aliso students are no different. They strive to overcome obstacles to maintain the resolutions throughout the whole year, a feat most cannot accomplish.
