“Are you a fan of New Year’s Resolutions?”
“Not particularly. I think the concept is great. A fresh start. A chance to do something you’ve always wanted. But, why do we all have to wait until the 1st of every year to celebrate the choice to do something good for ourselves? When I was little, I used to make a big deal about it and create a list of things I wanted to change. But, like most of us, I didn’t stick to them and all that list did was make me feel disappointed in myself. I’ve since now realized that I don’t do well with the added pressure of New Year’s Resolutions. The best time for me to do what it is that I want to do is when I decide that that is the best time for me to do it. So, I like the idea of the new year and a fresh start, but I think that we need to understand that any day can be just as “refreshing” as January 1st.”
“What do you hope for 2016?”
“I am hoping 2016 is a better year for many people. I’m hoping we as a community can listen and speak kindly to one another to work together and push back against all that’s trying to divide us. There is so much going on in the world today. Just turn on the news and you hear about all the discrimination and sadness that people have to go through. I think we need to look back in history and learn from our mistakes instead of allowing them to repeat or continue on. 2015 and really, since forever, people have been speaking up and asking to be listened to. Why are we only hearing them, but not listening? You know?”
A Student Interviewed