Improving Mental Health
In 2021, I want become more stable as a person. With all the constant stress of juggling my mental health, my physical health, my academics, and my social life, I’ve never been able to catch a break. I want more stability and serenity in my life, not more chaos and things to worry about. For the coming year, I also want to become a better student overall. I want less excuses and doubts. I want more encouragement, motivation, and optimism in my life. I also want to be able to make time for more personal reading. Normally, I only really read for school, but there are a lot of good and important books out there, so I really need to make time for those. I need to manage my time better and stop procrastinating. In the end, I want to become happy with myself by the end of the year, and feel like I have the freedom to do whatever I want with my life. I want to become calm, mentally stable, and content with myself.
I want more adventure, joy, fun, and to be able to be with my friends. What I want more of in 2021 is the chance to be free and to let loose. I want this because we don’t know how many chances we get to make these memories with the people we love. I want this because I feel like if I don’t get a break from it all I’ll crack. I want less pressure, anxiety, stress, sadness all of it. I want the overwhelming depression that feels like it’s corning me to be broken. I want this to be gone or lessened so I can breathe again. 2020 was the year of rock bottom and I want 2021 to be the year where I can feel like I’m on top of the world.
— Lorelain H., Julia R. Masterman, Philadelphia PA
Appreciating Everything More
In 2021, I want to appreciate everything more. The pandemic showed me to never take anything for granted — even something as small as a hug from your best friend. It taught me to appreciate the little things because you never know when they could be taken away from you. Last year, I truly learned the meaning of you never understand the value of something until it’s taken away from you.
Walking into 2021 I’m learning not to plan for this upcoming year. Instead, I decided that I’m going to take this year by each day that’s given to me. I’m going to appreciate what I’m given and what I currently have. As far as what I want more of for this year I want to work on myself. I want to learn who I am and what I stand for. I want to learn how to take in what’s put in front of me. Lastly, I want to learn to never take advantage of who/what I have because I don’t know if it’ll be there the next day. Now for what I want less of this year, I plan on not overthinking or stressing as much as I do. I want to live without worrying about what’s planned next and just live by the moment. I also want to work on not being on my phone as much and asking myself why my life isn’t like everyones on Instagram.
— Alyssa Moreno, Lubbock Cooper High School
More Time With Loved Ones, Less Time Online
I want to enter 2021, with a positive mindset. I want to find new hobbies and ways to relax. I want to make more time for myself, both mentally and physically. I want to be a better person and make some big changes in my life. I also want to spend more time with people I love and less time on electronics. For the past 10 or so months, I have been stuck in my house every day with electronics, and I think I want a break. The past year has also made me realize that it’s important to cherish every single moment we have with our loved ones. It’s made me realize that everything can change in the blink of an eye.
— Angelina, Masterman School, Philadelphia, P.A
This year, 2021, I am hoping for more of a lot of things but also for less of some stuff. For example, an increase in the time spent with family and friends will help me to grow as a person and build new bonds with others. I would also hope for less social media because it is just a distraction from the real world and keeps me from building new friendships. Being around people more often would be way more effective when trying to build bonds rather than communicating through a cellphone.
— Hayden Bowman, Lubbock-Cooper HS
Connecting With Others
This year I want less separation between people. This year has created so much hate between different social and political groups that it is affecting things we do in our everyday lives. I want less of that hatred people are feeling towards each other and more love and acceptance. As a personal goal I want less negative thoughts running through my mind. Quarantine was a hard time for all but for me I went to a dark place. I was not myself through the months of lost connections. It made me think in a very negative way and now being back with people I am still battling with those emotions. On a positive note I want to have more connection with others. During the months when we were all separated from others I lost some connections with good friends. I want to work to reconnect with those who I have been disconnected with as well as connect with new people in hopes to start a new friendship. I would also like more opportunities for all who have been out of work or just cut off from society. I would like to see those people who were laid off due to funding and other circumstances to have an opportunity to find a job as well as things opening up like normal again.
