The new year is a time for celebration and the honoring of the year that has passed. Many people get together to celebrate the following year and all the memories that came along with it as well as all the friends made, gifts received, and places traveled.  

Many traditions and games have sparked from this annual celebration of the new year. However, to each person, the new year symbolizes something more than just the basic rotation of earth around the sun. While food and games do come along with the celebrations, everyone in their own way looks back at their year and uses these experiences to brainstorm how to make the year ahead better.  

Freshman Charlotte Passeggio shared her thoughts on how students get to use the new year to improve their schoolwork. “I think it is a nice time to collect yourself. Especially for school, which you have already had the first couple months, so you envision the rest of the school year and get yourself together.” One’s productivity, attention, and grades can be improved and changed within one day. This makes a significant difference in how students perform academically, in the last half of the school year.  

While promises like these are made, they only scratch the surface of this important event. Even though the season is not changing, and the people on Earth get one day older, too many, this moment is a renewal. A refresh from the mistakes, upsets, and other moments that occurred in the past year. Freshman Emma Holmes said, “What the new year means to me is a fresh start.” This restoration is described by her as, “a chance for many new opportunities, new friends, and new experiences.” Forgiveness and the chance to make up for these mistakes gives everyone hope that they can be better.  

Improving oneself is one of the main factors that most people imagine when they get to the new year. “Focusing on what you can do to better yourself in the coming year,” is what freshman Ava Halsing states is what the new year means for herself and her family. Again, the new year symbolizes a reinstatement of your actions, words, and overall self.  

Overall, for most people the new year means coming up with a goal for oneself, whether that is learning a new skill, drinking more water, or going to the gym. Yet, all people can relate to the fact that everyone gets a restart and redo of the year. So, when the clock goes from 11:59 to 12:00, new beginnings are opened for everyone.