Recaps and Resolutions
January 4, 2023
Writer: Brooke Edelman
Editor: Samantha Rich
Happy New Year! As excited as I am for 2023 and new beginnings, I’m not sure I’m ready to let go of 2022. The ball dropped and the champagne popped, but I don’t want to now disregard everything from the last 31,536,000 seconds.
This winter, I find myself reflecting a lot — my mind often escapes to the common question: Where did the time go?
And, although it is only my sophomore year, how is it that I only have a couple of winters left here? As I walk the streets of Ann Arbor, I notice that I am a different person than the one I showed up as last fall; I find myself appreciative of the little moments I don’t want to take for granted.
That being said, I don’t want the practice of gratitude to stay in 2022; I want it to remain a priority of mine for the new year. Honestly, my resolutions for 2023 are almost identical to those of 2022, 2021, and so on. But what sets 2023 apart is that my resolutions save room for reflection. Day 1 of fulfilling resolutions didn’t have to fall on January 1st. It could’ve started on a random day in December, it could start in May, or October — it doesn’t even have to be a specific date on the calendar this year.
What I did in 2022 doesn’t necessarily need to be topped by 2023. 2023 might be filled with challenges and triumphs that I have yet to face in previous years.
So it’s time to make the new year not just about resolutions, but those all-important recaps too. When the confetti falls and the fireworks explode, I’m going to remember to celebrate 2022, instead of focusing solely on my goals for 2023.
I am proud of myself for what I did in 2022, the person I became and the person I will continue to become. It’s a new year and the perfect opportunity to be grateful for everything that you have accomplished. With new beginnings, there is room for growth, as well as appreciation for who you are! As much as I can change my life and become a new version of myself, I’m also me, and in 2023 I will appreciate all of the efforts that went into becoming me.
And if no one has told you yet, I am proud of you. You really have come a long way since last January, regardless of whether or not you feel that you have changed. Even when the calendar page turns, your story keeps on going — no one dictates a chapter’s end but the author themself.
