For Nina Thompson, a freshman in Universal Ninth (U9) Grade, “This new year doesn’t feel as big.” Because of the pandemic, gatherings and celebrations are prohibited, so Thompson noted, “Everything is just kinda fading into one big year, so I haven’t really paid much attention to resolutions…. It’s hard to be cooped up all the time, so I wanna start just being more physically active for my mental health.”
Luca McKerley, a junior in Berkeley International High School (BIHS), said, “I just want everyone to be nicer to each other. Just worry about yourself, stay healthy, and I hope the world calms down and people can stop being mean to each other.” He’s also had time to self reflect. “Last year, my resolutions were more materialistic, but this time, I think I have goals that I really want to accomplish,” McKerley said.
Xo’chitl Gonzales, a senior in Academy of Medicine and Public Service (AMPS), said, “This year, a goal I have is to hold myself accountable more…. My goals this year are more centered around my well-being, and learning how to balance schoolwork and my personal life.” She continued, “Now that we have our newly elected president Joe Biden, I hope that … he starts making stricter laws surrounding the coronavirus, so that cases start to lower.”
Zara Taylor, a junior in AMPS, said, “More than ever, I want to be a bigger part of my community. I think my resolutions this year are much more focused on the world as a whole.” She added, “Last year, they were just focused on me, like wanting to exercise more, but this year, I’m thinking more about how I can help my community.” About the Biden administration, Taylor shared, “I hope that some sort of positive difference can be made.”
Krithi DeSouza, a junior in Academic Choice (AC), said, “My family has this start, stop, and continue process. We stop a bad habit, start a good one, and try to continue doing something good. I hope to stop wasting so much time on Netflix, but with school being online, it’s kind of an easy hole to fall in.” She hopes that the world can go back to some sort of normality. “I’m hoping that there’s some way of resolving [national tension and division] and making sure that [something like the capitol insurrection] doesn’t happen again,” said DeSouza.