The new year has rolled in and there is a whole year’s worth of potential and possibility that awaits you. Although cases of COVID-19 are still rising and have remained a thorn in our side for 2 years now, 2022 can be a better, more peaceful, and meaningful year for all. Here are some ways how.

Set smaller, attainable, but still meaningful goals. It is important to work towards something but it can be easy to underestimate the difficulty of the goal you are trying to achieve. That is why it is important to think realistically and have a plan in place that works best for you. First, know what it is you want to achieve. Be honest but kind with yourself, know your limits. It’s great to push yourself past your limits to achieve better and better things, but you shouldn’t beat yourself over it if it doesn’t end up happening or if you give up. Sometimes ‘giving up isn’t giving up but simply putting that goal on hold until you’re in a better position to achieve it. You can always try again when you’re ready.
When creating your goal, make sure they are realistic; have a good plan for achieving them. Instead of making a goal for yourself like “I want to get better grades,” specify the goal and try writing it in a way that is understandable. So you could say, “I want to raise my grade from a C to a B in History.”  Writing your goal like this will set your eyes on exactly what you want to do and it makes it easier to follow. You would do this for any goal you would want to achieve. This will also allow you to track your progress on the achievements you are aiming for and make it happen.

We all want to be healthier, especially during such times like today. Eating well and regular exercise are obviously ideal, and drastically improves overall physical and mental health. Make a workout routine. It doesn’t have to be extremely rigorous and strict unless that is desired. Even light exercise a few times a week is helpful for the body and mind. There are also various great gyms in the city including Life Time, The Edge Fitness Club, Planet Fitness, and many more. Equally if not more important, is what we put into our bodies. Eating healthy is essential to our functionality and quality of life. Eating healthy doesn’t necessarily mean not getting to eat the foods you want but instead means trying to limit junk foods and increase intake of foods that improve your physical and mental health. 

The new year will be full of new relationships being created. Couples already going strong are carrying on into it and some want to know how to start. 

“You just gotta be a good guy, right,” said Junior Michael Marcella. “You just gotta be nice to the person you wanna be with, whether it’s a boy or girl I don’t care, whatever. You just gotta be a good person, good guy, and you don’t really have to like be all smooth and all hot and everything. You just gotta be a good person, do things that the other person will appreciate. And let them live their lives, let them be their own person but be there for them.” Nobody wants to be with a jerk, obviously. Being a good person isn’t only a moral thing to do, it’s also very attractive.

Now that the second semester has rolled in, students want to know how to do well in school. For many students, this isn’t a problem, but it can be a real struggle for many others. 

“So basically, you gotta find motivation from somewhere, right,” said Junior Damian Drainer. “Because you can be as smart as whatever, but you can’t do anything without motivation. If you don’t have any goals for your future, then you won’t end up anywhere, because you don’t care. So my advice is to find a way to enjoy schooling, find a way to make it fun, and be productive.”
Starting a career may be difficult and that’s okay, because starting something new can always provide a challenge and  help you start your career. Students throughout Rochester High share their advice on what to do when faced with this task.

 “Gather a resume, and prepare yourself for questions they would ask you being personal, or experience-wise, and make sure you are as prepared as possible,” said senior Andrew Mearns. This advice can be helpful when starting your career because being prepared can really get you far in anything you do. If you prepare yourself to the best of your abilities and make yourself stand out from the other interviewees you will most definitely get the job. If you don’t, you won’t regret anything because you know you did the best you could. 

Starting the first job can be really stressful. Having others rely on you to get your part done can really put on the pressure. To take off a little bit of pressure, starting a routine allows you to be put to ease. By creating a list of tasks you must complete, it will help you work through your day. By the time you clock out, you will feel that you accomplished more of what you needed to do that day. Creating a cycle will make work feel easier for you because doing the same thing every day will just make it become a muscle memory.

Being successful can be really easy, yet hard at the same time if you don’t know where to start. So for the rest of this year, challenge yourself, and expand your horizons. Use these tips to be successful in this new year, and make 2022 your best year yet.