When the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, many USC students locked in their goals for 2026. Some goals may look the same every year, but first-year economics student Caroline Everton said this will be the year she completes them.
“I'm just feeling different vibes,” Everton said. “I feel like now I'm more locked in.”
Everton's goal is to eat healthier, and she's not the only one. The Daily Gamecock interviewed 40 students about their New Year's resolutions.
According to Pew Research, 79% of resolutions are generally about fitness, and students are no exception. Ten students shared health and fitness resolutions — a trend that often results in a January rush at Strom Thurmond Wellness and Fitness Center.
Fourth-year finance and marketing student Connor Heil said the most common resolutions are gym-based.
“The gym is just a nightmare right now,” Heil said. “It's not a fun time.”
Going to the gym isn’t the only way students are trying to increase their productivity. Ten students’ resolutions were connected to their studies and work ethic.
Second-year psychology major Jana Hassounah wants to figure out her career track in 2026, she said.
“I don't want to be lost anymore,” Hassounah said. “I want to figure out what I want to do.”
According to the University of Tulsa, 80% of students switch their majors at least once. Second-year sports media student Caroline Sastoque recently switched hers. She's taking her New Year's resolution as an opportunity to be more proactive in it.
“Just getting more hours of sleep so that I can be productive for the whole day,” Sastoque said. “I just want to make the most out of it and just dive in and get started.”
Five students specified ending procrastination in their resolutions. Even a small change like starting an assignment a day earlier can be beneficial, said second-year psychology student Sophie Johnson.
Second-year chemical engineering student Edwardo Gonzalez also set himself a simple goal: Stay awake in class.
“Last semester, I pretty much fell asleep for 60% of my classes,” Gonzalez said. “It was brutal, but I made it work.”
Gonzalez isn't alone in trying to take advantage of his time. Second-year pharmaceutical sciences student Soledad Vazquez Escobar’s resolution is also to improve habits she regretted last fall.
“I live on the horseshoe, so I didn't take advantage of it last semester,” Vazquez Escobar said. “But this semester, now that it's going to be spring, I should definitely go out more.”
Four other students also had resolutions related to going out more or trying new things, whether that be organizations, activism or just kindness.
Not all students looked outwards in their resolutions though; seven students centered their resolutions on self-care.
Fourth-year art history student Brooke McCollam doesn’t usually make resolutions, but this year, she wants to be more intentional with her time, she said. Three other students also had faith-based resolutions.
“I want to read my Bible more. I want to read just everything more,” McCollam said. “I just love to read, and I don't feel like I spend enough time doing it. And I love to learn and really deepen my faith in the Lord.”
Some students wanted simply to protect their mental bandwidth. Third-year criminology and criminal justice student Forest Seton said this is the year he will go easier on himself.
“People aren't very kind, so (I) might as well be kinder to myself than letting other people bring me down,” Seton said.
Sometimes it's a resolution that brings someone down, said second-year criminology and criminal justice student Araceli Torres. Torres said she doesn’t have a resolution because it can impact her negatively.
“People start to criticize themselves,” Torres said. “Like realizing in April, ‘Oh, I didn't do that.’ And then it becomes a negative view of themselves.”
Not every student had a resolution. According to Drive Research, only 9% of Americans stick to their resolutions throughout the year. Most give up by February, graduate accounting student Anna Bachman said.
Fourth-year computer science student Brendan Skrzyniarz doesn’t normally make resolutions, but for a different reason.
“I like to be against things,” Skrzyniarz said. “So if they're popular to do resolutions, I don't like to do resolutions.”
In their last semester of college though, Skrzyniarz wants to try something different.
“My New Year's resolution this year is to get dressed up and do my makeup every single day for school to be more presentable,” they said. “I think I'm more productive, and the school day goes a lot better when I am my best self.”