Perhaps you spent Dec. 31 writing down your New Year’s resolutions with the best handwriting your journal has seen in months. Maybe that impressive penmanship was a first impression for the fresh notebook you bought yourself, committed to the first page of your year of self-improvement. Or maybe, like many other students, you lived Wednesday, Jan. 1 just as you did Tuesday, Dec. 31—without a list of lofty intentions. If your start of 2025 has lacked the transformative energy you think it should have, you are not alone. Here are five New Year’s resolutions McGill students didn’t make this year. 

Stop drinking

For Alex Gagnon, U2 Engineering, the goal to drink less didn’t make it onto her resolution list—not because it’s a bad idea, but because life has other plans. 

“I’m not doing Dry January because I know I have a bunch of events that include drinking, especially E-Week,” she said. 

At McGill, where social life is tied to drinking culture, abstaining from alcohol can feel like sitting out half the fun. And maybe that’s okay. There won’t be many opportunities like E-Week after our time in university, so for now, skipping a Dry January in favour of a moderately misty one doesn’t seem so bad. 

Better sleep

For many students, the elusive “seven to eight hours a night” often feels like a luxury rather than a necessity. Adele Omichinski, U2 Engineering, isn’t losing any sleep over skipping this resolution. 

“As a student, it’s not attainable, and I have too many things to do,” she said. “If I want to do all the things I want to do, then I can’t get all the sleep that I need.”

Between juggling coursework, extracurriculars, and a social life, sleep often feels like the first thing to go. If your schedule doesn’t always afford you eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, perhaps the true resolution should be mastering the art of the occasional power nap.

Healthier eating

“I never have time to actually cook good meals,” admitted Michael Beyrouthy, U2 Engineering. “I’m stuck eating Kraft Mac and Cheese and stuff like that.”

It’s a sentiment many students can relate to. When you’re racing between classes and assignments, balanced home-cooked meals seem like a distant fantasy, attainable only to your parents and Nara Smith. On top of this, the high cost of food on campus and in the city makes healthier eating an even greater challenge.

However, there are some affordable options for students. Initiatives like the Midnight Kitchen offer free, healthy meals, and budget-friendly grocery stores like Segal’s provide staples at more affordable prices. These resources can help students strike a balance between cost, time, and nutrition. 

Language learning

For U2 Engineering student Robinson Libman, a native French speaker, language learning has taken a backseat this year. Although he used to aim to “speak English as much as possible,” he explained. “I think I’ve improved enough in the past few years. Also, we’re in Quebec.” 

Fair point. Between navigating bilingual conversations and deciphering Montreal street signs, McGill students are already living a language-learning crash course daily. The new year brings just as much linguistic challenge as the last, so perhaps there’s no need to formalize any language learning goals. 

More exercise 

Ah, the classic “I’m going to go to the gym more this year” resolution. For some, like Amanda Klunowski, U3 Arts, it’s a well-worn path that no longer leads to motivation. 

“I didn’t make any resolutions regarding going to the gym,” she shared. “If you’re going to make a resolution about it, you’re probably going to give it up anyway. I feel like it’s kind of a self-defeating prophecy.”

Let’s face it: Sometimes the pressure to turn a goal into a resolution is the fastest way to make it feel like a chore.