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Benjamin Siu, 15 St Joseph's College

Have you ever made promises at the beginning of the year, such as vowing to make good use of your time, to be attentive in class, to save the world,  and so on?

Most people  take part in this ritual during Christmas and New Year. Making resolutions is an old tradition, but that does not  mean it is effective.

People  do not take New Year's resolutions seriously. We make plans to lose weight on the morning of  January 1, but by night time we are feasting on Porterhouse steaks.

We pledge to work hard at school, then stay up late the night before school starts and sleep through the whole day of lessons.

We pledge to be responsible, but two weeks later we look for others to blame for delays with assignments.

New Year's resolutions are a waste of time because it is nearly impossible to set rational and achievable goals for a year during festive periods.

Decisions and goals made at these times are usually  done on impulse, not reason. People set targets just for fun and to give themselves the illusion that they are striving for progress and improvement.

Because we are not obliged to follow the plans, and because we do not need to write evaluation reports after we have failed to achieve our goals, New Year's resolutions are useless.

And yet, people still waste hours deciding  on what goals  to set which they will fail to achieve sooner or later. Can't we find another more practical activity to do on January 1?

The only resolution I am going to make this year is to resolve not to make any more New Year's resolutions.

Jocelyn Heng, 15 Maryknoll Convent School

No. New Year's resolutions may not be achieved often, but they are  worthwhile.

The key to success is to establish both specific and measurable goals. New Year's resolutions  are an opportunity to set definite goals and objectives for the year ahead.

It can also help put things into perspective by allowing you to reflect on past achievements and failures. You may not necessarily succeed, but you will at least be on the right track.

People usually find it hard to keep their resolutions. What better way to conquer this by challenging yourself? Setting New Year's resolutions can  train  your self-discipline, as  willpower and  control are required to fulfil established goals.   If you cannot fulfil all your resolutions, your guilty conscience will probably still nag you  and provide a certain degree of 'motivation'.

Success is the best encouragement for progress. Achieving your resolutions  will boost your self-confidence  and self-esteem. This can also provide a sense of accomplishment and act as a driving force throughout the year.

But be realistic when setting resolutions for the coming year. Start with simple short-term tasks before progressing to more challenging ones.

With feasible and attainable goals, fulfilling your dreams will turn out to be a piece of cake.



Is making New Year's resolutions a waste of time?