1st Place, Staff Editorial
2023-24, Division 1, News Writing
By Staff
The Generator
Henry Ford II HS
The clock strikes 12, the ball drops, and people yell “happy new year,” but the anticipation for a new beginning doesn’t always promise joy.
Every year people take the same path of dreaming up fantasies of unrealistic resolutions that never seem to come to life. Oprah once said, “cheers to the new year and another chance to get it right,” however even the most successful people fall through their own goals and ambitions.
People tend to make the mistake of focusing on the next new thing rather than looking back and reflecting on how to take what they already have, reinvent it, and make it their new best thing. In fact, many people don’t even get involved in a tradition that has become overly redundant. Resolutions seem to be posing a more negative impact on a person’s character rather than offering a chance to improve.
To begin with, a study conducted by Fisher College of Business, reveals that only 9% of Americans who make resolutions complete them.
Even the most proven successful people can struggle to create goals and follow through with them.
Oprah herself redacted former opinions on New Year’s, now being a firm believer in not making resolutions. She tells her audience now, “Don’t ask for courage cause you’ll get a whole lot of things that will cause you to have to have courage!” It is better to improve yourself whenever you can rather than just hoping for an improvement.
A tendency that reoccurs every time a new year hits is starting something, believing in it, and only after a couple months giving up. The new year offers people a new chance, but at the end of it, all time is an illusion. There shouldn’t be a certain point where someone decides to start something it should come nature. New Year’s resolutions are a forceful push that put people under pressure to achieve something they might not be ready for.
According to Content Base, approximately 12.5% of all new gym memberships begin in January and around 80% of new gym members who join in January quit within five months.
On the other hand, many believe that New Year’s resolutions give people a new start, a chance to begin again. This year ends on a Sunday, meaning a new year is going to start on a Monday, which many are calling a real new start.
No matter what one believes, taking a stance on one’s own goals is the most important thing when a new year comes around. There should be no pressure to achieving goals.
NW-06. Staff Editorial
Staff editorials should represent the opinion of the staff, editors or editorial board on a timely news matter of concern to the school, community, state, nation or world. They may express appreciation, offer interpretation or attempt to deal with problems.
Judging Criteria
- Represents the opinion of the staff or editorial board
- Topic relevant to interests and/or welfare of school or students
- Wins reader interest with a compelling lead
- Presents evidence/interpretation in logical sequence
- States issue; uses effective examples, facts, and comparisons to clarify
- Deals with specific issue: avoids preaching, rhetoric, and cliches
- Shows sufficient thought and research
- Sentences, paragraphs of varied length; written clearly, concisely and vividly
- Proper diction/grammar