Port Richmond High School Food Pantry

Helps Port RIchmond Community

                                                      By Darien Gayle and Eniola Adeye

At Port Richmond High School there is a food pantry that is open for everyone in  the community. Mr.Candella, director of community schools and NYCID run the food pantry. About 729 people from the Port Richmond neighborhood utilize the food pantry.  The food pantry is stocked with a variety of food items. There is 1,200 pounds of fresh produce in the food pantry. The money to buy the food comes from City Harvest and Food Bank.  These organizations  provide money for Mr.Candella to purchase the food. During  the holidays the food that is ordered changes. This Thanksgiving the food pantry distributed 100 turkeys, donated by the Rotary Club, to  families in need.

The Food Pantry wasn’t always opened to the whole community. “ When we first started it was (not) only opened to our families, but also to P.S 21 and I.S 51,” said Mr.Candella, Community Schools Director. Many people in the community “ knew it was needed “ after a survey that was given out in 2016. Every Saturday morning the food pantry staff picks up fresh vegetables. One future goal of the food pantry is to partner with Wagner College. If there is a partnership established between NYCID and Wagner College, Mr.Candella is hopeful that they will donate hot food to distribute to families on Fridays.

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Pajama Day at PRHS

By Alexa Agnello

On December 14th, Raiders conducted a fundraiser for muscular dystrophy. The event is called PJ’s for PJ’s. Raiders dressed  in PJ’s and donated $5 to this charity.

PRHS Thanksgiving Feast

By Alyssamae Gadsden

On November 21, 2017 students and staff gathered together for their

Port Richmond High School’ annual attended the event with friends and family Thanksgiving Feast. About 200 people to enjoy some food made by the Culinary Arts Program. The feast started ninth period, at 2:15, when the school bell rings for dismissal. The menu consisted of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, candied yams, sweet carrots, stuffing, and bread rolls. Chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch pudding was served for dessert.

Mr.Ryan and Mr. Mulvey and their students in the Culinary arts program prepared the food during the school day. Ms. Woodman, assistant principal, joined in on all the fun by serving food with the students. The students of Port Richmond came together as a family and enjoyed this meal before going home for the holiday and having even more delicious food with their families.  

Respectful Kpop Band TWICE

By Alexa Agnello

                   South Korean girl group TWICE has been taking the world by storm. TWICE has earned the title of South Korea’s “Nation’s Girl Group”. This title originally belonged to their senior group Girls’ Generation also known as SNSD. TWICE just released their first full album of their two year career. The title song of their album is “Likey” and the album “TWICETAGRAM”. The album consists of 13 songs.

TWICE was formed by South Korea’s survival show “Sixteen”. The show consisted of many different challenges and various eliminations until the last members were chosen. The show divided 16 girls into two groups Major and Minor. The girls would either move up, stay where they are or get eliminated. On July 5, 2015 the final members were chosen, bringing on back from elimination. They ended up with nine amazing members.

The group debuted on October 20th, 2015 with the song “Like OOH-AHH” and the mini album “The Story Begins”. Their popularity grew when the released their first comeback song “Cheer Up” along with the mini album “PAGE TWO”. The song drew people in when Japanese member Sana’s part blew up on social media. In the first and second verse people fell in love with the line, “Shy, Shy, Shy”. With their second comeback landing on October 24, 2016, they released the song “TT” and the mini album “TWICECOASTER : Lane One”. “TT” also became a world hit and in January became the first Kpop girl group to surpass 200 million views on YouTube. Their third comeback was not so far away. On February 20th, they released their first repackage album “TWICECOASTER : Lane Two”, with the title song “Knock Knock” and the new side track “Ice Cream / Melting”. In May, the group released their third mini album “Signal” with 6 new songs including their title track “Signal”. They made their Japanese debut in July and released their first Japanese music video in October. The latest album “TWICETAGRAM” was released and has so far surpassed 80 million views on YouTube.

There are nine members. Im Nayeon is the oldest member. She is 22 years old and is the lead vocalist and the center of the group. Next up, Yoo Jeongyeon is the second oldest. She is 21 years old and is the lead vocalist of the group. The first Japanese member is Momo Hirai. She is 21 years old and is the main dancer, vocalist and rapper of the group. The second Japanese member is Sana Minatozaki. She is 20 years old and is the lead dancer and vocalist of the group. The leader of the group is Park Jihyo. She is 20 years old and is the main vocal of the group. The last Japanese member is Mina Myoui. She is 20 years old and is the lead dancer and vocalist of the group. Kim Dahyun is 19 years old, she is the lead rapper and vocalist of the group. Son Chaeyoung is 18 years old, she is the main rapper and vocalist of the group. Lastly the youngest member, Chou Tzuyu. She 18 years old, she is the vocalist, dancer and the visual of the group.

TWICE is full of talent ; they are big dorks and watching them become more and more popular as the days go by makes me feel like a proud *ONCE (TWICE's fan name). TWICE has been called the girl group of the generation because of their record breaking songs and interactions with their fans. With 9 talented and incredibly dorky members, listening to TWICE is a very great enjoyable time. “One in a million! Hello We are TWICE!”

(Left to right - Chaeyoung, Momo, Nayeon, Sana, Tzuyu, Jihyo, Dahyun, Mina, Jeongyeon)

Friday the 13th MOVIE night ON THE

FOOTBALL FIELD !!

By Alyssamae Gadsden

Friday, October 13th 2017 marked the first ever movie night on the Port Richmond High School football field.  Admission was one dollar and students received a free bag of popcorn with their ticket. Mr.Medugno showed It’s a Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown! to get students warmed up for the movie, Friday the 13th.   The night ended with students dancing to Michael Jackson’s music video, Thriller.   Students brought blankets, chairs and snacks. Three hundred students showed up to the event, snuggling up with their friends to stay warm on a chilly October night. Students danced to music, ran around chasing friends and laughed, enjoying their night.  Some of the laughs turned into screams when a person dressed up as Scream came running out on the field with a plastic machete.

At the beginning of the event, Principal Swinton came up on the microphone thanking everyone for coming out to PRHS’ first movie night. She described the movie night as a “Dope Event”. “ The movie night itself was a great idea. It brought together Port Richmond as a community and inspired a night of togetherness,” said student Kemauri Flowers. “This was our first time doing movie night on the field. It was a great outcome. Perfect temperature, perfect day, everyone loved it,” stated Senior Class President Kiaramar Pichardo.

History of Halloween

by Alexa Agnello

"The Halloween Pumpkin Man"

Halloween is the scariest day of the year (besides Friday The 13th). Many people of all ages dress up in costumes and go trick or treating. Many scary movies are watched or put in theaters on this day. Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. Borrowing from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition.

Halloween has been a tradition for many people for thousands of years. Even though it wasn’t our tradition to start with. Many people make it a competition by decorating their houses to the fullest. A lot of houses on Staten Island take decorating to the extreme. One house in particular takes extreme to a whole other level.

A house in Westerleigh, Staten Island decorates their house with gore and even has a projector in the window of the house. They put up big statues and figures and this year the owners have a smoke machine in front of the house.

Halloween is enjoyed by almost everyone and is enjoyed by people of all ages. Let Halloween begin!

MTA Raises Fares

Housing over eight million people of the American population, New York City is known for being the most populous city in the United States. Millions of people travel from all the five boroughs and depend on public transportation to get to their destination. According to the MTA Network, an average of 7,700,000 million people use the MTA services weekly, over 85% of people use public transportation. However, for the new year of 2017, the MTA increased the price of commuting fares for public transportation. Despite the unwanted change, these new fares were effective on March 19th.

● The 30-day unlimited MetroCard has risen $4.50 from $116.50 to $121.00

● The 7-day unlimited MetroCard has risen $1.00 from $31.00 to $32.00

● The 7-day Express Bus plus Metrocard has risen $2.25 from $57.25 to $59.50

● The single fare ride will remain $2.75

● For MTA bridges and tunnels, cars using E-ZPass will see a rise of $.25, while drivers paying with cash or toll by mail will see an increase of 6.3% to 9.1%.

● Metro-North and Long Island Rail Road will rise 3.75% in prices.

Many commuters believed that this change was unfair and argued that the MTA does not provide the outcome the public expects for their investment. However, a budget deal made in 2009 requires that the MTA increase its fares every two years. They plan to increase revenue by 4% and give the additional funds to the MTA workers.  The next fare rise will be in 2019.

Port Richmond High School Band Department

By Hayoung Choi

The Port Richmond Band Department has long been a pride and joy of the Raider community. People from all kinds of musical backgrounds join together to create harmonious music that entertains the crowd in pleasant tones. In order to connect to the essence of the greater community, the PRHS Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band have actively participated in events held in Staten Island and areas in Manhattan. For instance, the Jazz Band performed at P.S. 68 for the ribbon cutting ceremony and also at the Burrito Bar on Forest Ave. for brunch. The Symphonic Band took a walking tour of lower Manhattan of the Revolutionary Wars to get a historic perspective of the music. The Marching Band recently marched through the city of Manhattan in the Memorial Day Parade in honor of the current and fallen soldiers of America. The three departments of band offered at Port Richmond High School are Jazz Band, Symphonic Band, and Marching Band. The Jazz Band is a musical ensemble that plays jazz selection. The band is made up of a rhythm section and a horn section. Symphonic Band, also called Concert Band is a performing ensemble that consists of members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of musical instruments along with the double bass or bass guitar. The Marching Band is a group where the musicians who play instruments typically in the woodwind, brass, or percussion families march while playing musical selections for entertainment or competition purposes. The Port Richmond Bands offer an enjoyable and amazing way for incoming students to explore the world of music.

Criminal Minds Review:

By: Alexa Manno
Criminal minds is for students above the age of 17. This show is a little intense for any age under that. This show is very gory and let’s you sees things from a F.B.I. profiler’s perspective. What makes me want to  continue watching this show is that it keeps you on your toes, leaves episodes ending with a cliffhanger, wanting you to watch more. I watched this show daily, day and night, almost everyday that I didn’t have something to do. All in all the show teaches you a lot about the group and what they do on an everyday basis. There is still another season coming with more exciting and different things that will come their way and I cannot wait until it begins. Criminal Minds helped me also decide what I want to do with my career path and the job that I want to follow through with in my life. In college I will be triple majoring in forensics, criminal psychology and computer science. My job choice will be the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Criminal Minds TV series is based in Quantico, Virginia, the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) is a subsection of the FBI. Called in by local police departments to assist in solving crimes of a serial and/or extremely violent nature where the perpetrator is unknown (referred to by the Unit as the unknown subject or unsub for short), the BAU uses the controversial scientific art of profiling to track and apprehend the unsub. Profiling entails coming up with basic characteristics of the unsub and the victims (referred to as the victimology), using evidence from the case and matching that information to historic precedents and psychological analyses as a means to solve the case. Because of the nature of the work conducted by the BAU - the work being time consuming and psychologically demanding - its members are fiercely loyal to the Unit and to its other members. Also because of the work's overall demanding nature, not many members of the BAU have been able to maintain a happy or stable family life.

An elite squad of FBI profilers analyzes the country's most-twisted criminal minds, anticipating the perpetrators' next moves before they can strike again. Each member of the "mind hunter" team brings his or her expertise to pinpoint predators' motivations and identify emotional triggers to stop them. The core group includes an official profiler who is highly skilled at getting into the minds of criminals, a quirky genius, the former media liaison who manages to adeptly balance family life and the job, and a computer wizard.

     Is the Dress Code Beneficial or Detrimental?

By: Hayoung Choi

 

As summer approaches and warmer weather awaits, many students eagerly wait to bask in the summer sun with friends and family. With the first waves of heat reaching schools all over America, students have been wearing summer-cooling outfits to combat the sweltering heat in their distinctive fashionable ways. However, many of the outfits students choose to wear are considered a “violation of the dress code” and are often being detained, suspended, or even expelled. Proponents to the dress code say appropriately dressed students promote better learning environments with no distractions. Opponents to the dress code argue that the dress code restricts individual rights of expression that represent the very essence of American democracy.

Port Richmond’s Principal Timothy M. Gannon has stressed that “Students who arrive at school dressed inappropriately will have their parents contacted, will not be permitted to attend classes, and will be required to change into more appropriate attire. Students who repeatedly disregard the dress code will face more severe disciplinary action as afforded by the NYC Department of Education Discipline Code. “ Administrators have enforced that the dress code prevents any unintentional confrontations that may occur while students have acted in defiance against the dress code.

The Port Richmond High School Dress Code:

1. Students shall be responsible for maintaining pants and skirts in an appropriate manner as observed in a professional business environment. All pants and skirts should be secured at waist level and may not fall below the waist to such a degree that a student’s posterior or underwear is shown in any manner.
2. Head coverings, except for religious purposes, for both males and females, are not permitted.
3. Halter-tops, tank tops, and tube tops are not permitted unless worn with a covering shirt or jacket. Tops must extend to the waist and meet the waistband of pants, skirts or shorts. Shoulders and backs should not be bare.
4. Shorts and skirts must extend to the length of one’s fingertips when standing straight up. Miniskirts or short-shorts may not be worn.
5. Slogans or pictures that are obscene or deemed inappropriate by school officials cannot appear on clothing.

Whether the dress code is beneficial or detrimental to American public school children is a topic that will continually be debated among individuals influenced by the daily effects of the educational departments.  

Port Richmond High School Baseball Team Finishes a Strong Season

The Port Richmond High School baseball team finished their 2017 season with a record of 10-6. This record was due to each player being organized and attentive during each play, and the team’s overall determination to succeed.The first couple of games of the season started off well with 3 consecutive wins, all high scoring games. Starters Vincent Zeh, Edward Rodriguez, Angel Santiago, Robert Hart, Joshua Lopez, Christopher Maiorana, Eric Benedetto, Jim Baez, Ryan Masterson, and Christian Harjo, who got injured midway into the season, were major contributors to the team’s successful season. When the regular season ended, the team’s first playoff game was against Roosevelt Educational Campus, where Eric Benedetto pitched to a 3-1 win, Robert Hart, Jim Baez, and Joshua Lopez got the bats swinging, and scored those three runs.Coach John Sce’s quote, “Ball, Base, Backup” are words that the team plays by.  Although their season ended in the next game against Petrides, the Raiders came in 4th in the regular season and got farther than they had in the last two years.

Port Richmond Supports Ramadan at Prom

By:Pedro Santiago

Prom is a high school tradition that students look forward to from their freshman year.Anticipation is building as everyone wonders who will go with who and who will wear what. Usually people do not have to worry about when they eat their meal. However, this year Ramadan occurs during the month of June and affects muslim students attending prom. Port Richmond High School family took special consideration for muslim students in the PRHS family.

Port Richmond High School COSA (Vincent Medugno) Stated that their will be a separate cocktail hour at prom and no one will eat the main meal until it is 8:20. “We will wait because we are a family”. This demonstrates how important it is that we make our students comfortable and make our students enjoy everything they have worked for. Prom is the symbol of culmination from four years of dedication to scholarship and friendship.Students on track for graduation should be able to participate in all aspects of wonderful evening including the food. This should not even be a thought to consider; schools should be mandated to accommodate all students especially if the students are the ones paying for prom and not the school itself.

Ramadan started on May 27th of 2017 and will continues for 30 days. On the 29th day of Ramadan if the moon does not prevail Ramadan will continue to the next day and you must fast the 30th day and EID will begin the day after. Ramadan is a time of patience , “ To see if we have patience, it’s a time to not eat or drink from sunrise to sunset and an overall peaceful month.” (senior Nivin Hamed) you are not allowed to eat or drink from, “3:55am to 8:20pm”. EID which is , “A time to celebrate, to drink special coffee and enjoy time with family.” (senior Sabrine Haq). So why is it that such an important tradition filled with good morals is not being incorporated with prom. Port Richmond High school student Nivin Hamed stated, “ I felt sad for the muslim students at Brooklyn Tech because they are fasting and have to choose between their religion or going to prom and not eating. “I am very proud that I am a Port Richmond High School students because my school has made special accommodations for the Muslims students. It really shows that they care and respect all students”.

Nina Simone, Musician and Civil Rights Artist

                                                             By Natalie Forde

     Nina Simone is one of the many influential people that contributed to history. Her original name is Eunice Kathleen Waymon. She was born in 1933 in Tryon, North Carolina. She was a civil rights activist, author, singer, and pianist.

   Simone learned how to play piano when she was three years old and was a singer in her church choir. Over the years her training focused on a classical repertory.  Simone’s music teacher raised funds to pay for her education and when she graduated from high school these funds paid for Simone to attend Juilliard School of Music.  Although she worked as a piano teacher to pay for her continuing education, she eventually ran out of money to pay for it and had to leave Juilliard.  

   Simone started playing jazz and blues at night clubs.  Throughout the 50s and 60s Simone released many albums that reflected an infusion of musical styles.  

     During the 1960s, Simone became known as the voice of the Civil Rights Movement.“ She openly addressed the racial inequality that was in the US in the song, “Mississippi Goddam”. She wrote the song in response to the assassination of Medgar Evans and the Birmingham church bombing that killed four African American girls in 1963. The song was released as a single and it was boycotted by certain southern states. Simone quoted that this was her first civil rights song and that her ideas came in a rush of hatred and determination. During the civil rights movement Simone wrote a song about African American women and a song in response to the assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.  Simone also performed outside of Montgomery Alabama during the March to  Selma.

  Nina Simone recorded music throughout most of her life.  She died at the age of 70, in 2003. Simone’s music and the contribution of her voice in the fight for civil rights have made a lasting impression on the lives of many people.

      

Frederick Douglass: A Man Who Changed History

                                                                        by Diana Stewart

Frederick Douglass positively influenced history by dedicating his life to abolishing slavery and ending segregation.  Douglass wrote several autobiographies, books, and articles about his life as a slave. His writings influenced the abolishment of slavery.  

   Douglass went to New York and published a newspaper called The North Star, which developed its name from when escaped slaves would follow the North Star to freedom.  He expressed the importance of civil rights and how slavery should be abolished. Douglass was also an outspoken supporter of women’s rights.  

   Frederick Douglass was persistent in his goal of having slavery abolished. He used his writings and his leadership qualities to achieve this outcome.

My Personal Connection to A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s, “Jungle”

By Destiny Bernard

On February 14, 2016, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, a young rapper from the Bronx, released a single from his album, Artist, called “Jungle”. The lyrics of this song speak to me personally because of its unique lyrics that coincide with my life and things I’ve experienced. The song has a great catchy beat that is made up of drums, piano, and claps. The beat gives me a nostalgic feel that causes me to reflect on my life.

The lyrics, “This is what that jungle do, You been plottin wasn’t you” is reflective of growing up in a crazy neighborhood where people do you wrong everyday. Betrayal usually turns people into monsters because betrayal usually comes from the people closest to them. It makes people think they should have never trusted anyone. The follow up lyrics, “I should’ve never messed with you” take the listener way back to the story of Caesar getting stabbed in the back with the words “et tu Brute?” which translates to “even you Brutus?” meaning “and even you would betray me? ”. The next lines “Yeah I started in the back had to skip the line though” refers to coming up from poverty and failure and persevering over obstacles. As the song continues you hear him say “People throw you in the shade cause they wanna shine tho people throw me in the grave in a Ferragamo”.  A Ferragamo is a popular, high end, expensive belt that is mostly in fashion with males of this generation. The lyric means that people will try to wrong you because they only care about their own success and they only want to see you attain success when it’s too late and you’re already gone. The next lyric, “Man I can’t believe they killed my bro Quado it was so deep I had to say that with my eyes closed,”  hit me very hard personally because I am 17 years old and have already many friends and it shouldn’t be that way.

The next lines, that touch a tender spot are “This is all I ever wanted why would I let you take it from me” because it refers to finally being successful and reaching your goals yet having people in your life try to take your spot, but you won’t let them.  I have seen this happen often in life;  unfortunately, not many people want to see you doing well.

This song can relate to many of the youth of 2017 that are growing up in areas known to be unprosperous. These areas are known as communities that are well enough for people to live. People who live in these areas can survive and make a living, but there is no money left-over for luxury items or other wants. Many people only have money to fulfill their needs.

Respect for All Week

                                           By Stacy Sosa and Destiny Bernard

Respect means to be kind and loving. The definition of respect is a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something drawn out by their abilities, qualities, or achievements. Respect is very important. It is important because it shows a maturity level where people understand that having respect for others creates situations where love and friendships and peace become attainable in a world where bullying, war, hate, racism, and sexism are very real.The Department of Education would like for  children to understand the importance of respecting one another. Therefore, each February the DOE designates one week as Respect for All Week. Although the idea for implementing

Respect for All in New York City schools began after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the first annual Respect for All Week didn’t begin until the 2010-2011 school year.  The DOE’s goal for Respect For All is to promote respect for diversity and to combat harassment, discrimination and bullying.  “The goal of this work is to ensure that every NYC school provides a learning environment where all children feel safe, valued and respected.” (NYC Department of Education website)  

  NYC schools began their 2017 recognition of Respect for All on Friday, February 10 on “National No One Eats Alone Day”.  Every public school in NYC has different ways to celebrate respect.  

   Port Richmond High School celebrated Respect for all Week by performing daily acts of kindness, attending a “Worth It” assembly, and by creating a Raiders’ Respect Wall.  The “Worth It” assembly reminded students how to respect themselves and each other by making choices that are “Worth it”.  A walk passed the Raiders’ Respect Wall alerts the passersby to what respect means to the students of Port Richmond High School.  

   Students throughout Port Richmond High School have different perspectives on the meaning of respect. Some of the sentiments on the wall are “Never lose sight of what’s important in life...you”.  “Be Yourself and don’t change for anybody, no matter the consequences.” Students who didn’t write on the wall also expressed what respect means to them. “ I never thought about what respect means,” said Jared, a sophomore student.   “Respect means to treat others the way they treat me,” said sophomore student, Davon.  “Respect means to be more self conscious about our actions and think about the actual right things to do. To respect yourself is to be self conscious, and at the same time to have self confidence. I respect others by not judging people who I don't personally know. I feel like we should respect people for what they believe in, as we will get the same respect,” said a senior, Angela. Respect for All Week is over, but many students of Port Richmond High School will continue to treat others with kindness and respect.

“If you can dream it you can do it.”-Walt Disney

By- Steven Inniss

Young people, end up losing their dreams, in fear of the imminent future, college.

In a low income neighborhood, there is a relatively small high school, Port Richmond High School. Although modest, Port Richmond HS has a lot of perks, and an upbeat spirit. One of those perks is the partnership Port Richmond HS has with Wagner College. Within this partnership, Wagner and PRHS nurtured a program called the Port Richmond Partnership Leadership Academy (PRPLA). The program is ran out of the Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement in Wagner College (CLCE), and the Wagner College Raider Office in Port Richmond High School. Leo Schuhert runs the program, PRPLA, along with Arlette Cepeda, Kevin Bote, Kevin Farrell, and other  students who work in the CLCE office. Mr. Schuhert said “I love the opportunity to work everyday with such wonderful, intelligent, inspiring, and motivational young adults.Seeing them learn and grow, develop leadership skills and work hard to achieve their dreams, is what this program is all about. It's because of the students whom I work with at Port Richmond that this program is possible. Our collective work in this program makes us at Wagner so proud to be partnered with such a wonderful community.” This extensive idea of pursuing your dream, even extends to IS 51, where their is a mini PRPLA developing, and works to develop their dream.

   The Leadership Academy was founded by the New World Foundation COIN Program and Wagner College. They started PRPLA, with an aim to improve students’ educational studying tactics, to teach the students about immigration, and to instruct them how to work with CBOs (community based organizations).  One of their goals is for students in PRPLA to become community based leaders and learn how to achieve their dreams. Timofej, a senior a Port High School, benefited greatly from her experience in the Wagner College program. {It} “Provided opportunity to grow as person and go to MIT,”  said Timofej.  The Wagner College student mentors help to guide students toward reaching their goals. One of these mentors who worked in  PRPLA over the summer described her experience working with Port Richmond HIgh School students throughout the school year, and throughout most of the summer,  “The Port Richmond Partnership Leadership Academy, works to improve our Raider student lives, and help work towards their dreams.”

Starting Off the New Year

Hayoung Choi
For many people, the new year is a fresh start to a better life. The start signifies a new chance, a new opportunity for people to change an aspect about themselves that they want to improve. Often, to accomplish this goal, people set New Year’s resolutions to help motivate and shape their lives into something better. Resolutions are like a renewed contract, a new promise to one’s self for a healthier well-being. Whether it’s quitting smoking or losing weight, these resolutions, however, are often easily dissolved and people succumb back into their old ways. Therefore, the “new year new me” mentality is born. According to James Clear, a photographer and author who writes about behavioral psychology, the building of a new habit in 21 days is in fact a debunked myth and in reality, it takes approximately 66 days for the habit to be cemented into one’s lifestyle. Relatively, 66 days may not seem like a long period of time to completely change your life, but to keep up a habit for 66 days continuously is easier said than done.

By following these few tips it’s guaranteed that you’ll stick to your resolutions in no time.

1. Start by Being Specific

Focus on a certain area in your life that you specifically want to change. When you set a goal of losing weight, for example, choose a certain weight you want to achieve or decide on a certain amount of pounds to lose. By saying that you want to lose weight, it vaguely establishes an unclear target, making it harder to motivate yourself to achieve your desired goal.

     2.    Take One Step at a Time

Don’t expect a huge change to happen overnight. Unhealthy habits form over a long period of time and to form healthier habits, it will also take a long period of time. To form healthier habits, take baby steps and slowly start adding new routines.

     3.    Make a plan

Make a year long plan by mapping out daily, weekly, or even monthly goals. Plan for success by preparing the necessary items and materials. Read up on information about your specific subject. Whether it’s quitting smoking, running a marathon, or becoming vegan, brushing up on some knowledge about the health benefits of your goal can make you look forward for the change.

     

      4.    Be Vocal About Your Resolution

Let people know about the goals that you want to accomplish. Find someone who can hold you accountable for keeping you motivated and on track to a healthier life. These “accountability buddies” can serve as helpful reminders of your end goal; they are a good way to vent out some pent up stress from the challenging change. Don’t tell too many people about your resolutions,  try to limit the people you tell, to a few close family members or friends who are willing to help you along your journey.

     5.    Accept Failure and Don’t Give Up

Understand that those midnight cravings might override your “weight loss will” or that one bad day might ruin your “be more positive” goal; these occasional slip-ups are a natural part of the new resolution process. Don’t beat yourself up every time you make an unintended mistake. Accept your failures after it happens and reflect back to why and how this could have occurred. Think about ways that your can learn and improve from this experience.

Remember, fulfilling your New Year’s Resolution is no easy task. It requires an unfailing will, determined motivation, and the strong want to change your life. With these three things, anyone can accomplish their resolutions in no time.

Works Cited

Forbes. Forbes Magazine, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

"New Years Resolutions: 9 Ways To Keep Them - Bankrate." New Years Resolutions: 9 Ways To Keep Them - Bankrate. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

Pardon Our Interruption. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

"10 Ways to Make Your New Year's Resolutions Stick." WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.

"Top 10 Healthiest New Year's Resolutions." Health.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Jan. 2017.