Yes, I'll admit I am relieved when a year ends and another begins. It's only human to be excited, or nervous, for change. I am not a huge fan of celebrating this change though. Some people feel like their birthday is just another day. This is personally how I feel about going from December 31st to January 1st.
I didn't always feel as though New Year's wasn't special. When I was little I remember being excited to stay up and watch the ball drop in New York City on New Year's. Would I take naps in between - hell yes, but I still was super excited to see the year change. As I got older I began to have friends over each New Year and try to make the night special. The first few years it was really fun. We would have a lot of snacks, play video games, watch movies, and then at 11:59 P.M. watch the ball drop. Once it would hit midnight we would just go back to whatever we were doing before. As years go on we continued to do this, and I began to get bored of it. Yes, I enjoy it, but really it feels like a normal sleepover to me.
I'll admit, some of the festivities that go on for New Year's can be very entertaining; my hometown had a street fair on New Year's and at midnight dropped a giant light bulb. Yes, I am serious about the light bulb. Other cities, like Bethlehem, have their own traditions, like dropping a giant peep. I will go to the events too. It gives me something to do as I wait for the New Year to begin. I do not really care for the over excitement anymore though. I feel as though too much energy is going into things. Then again that could be said about other days as well. I believe I feel like this because I was raised putting more emphasis on the other holidays.
I am not saying that I hate the New Year as I grow older. There are many things that I appreciate about it. I can start with a clean slate, I can relax for awhile before going back to school, and I can work to better myself. It gives me a way to look back on things from previous years and know not to repeat those mistakes. I just don't obsess over making this year the best of my life. Things that happen in life happen. Sometimes you can control them while other times they happen without any control. There are things that you can work to fix, but they are not going away. They will be a part of you even in the New Year. As for resolutions: you shouldn't need a New Year to be able to do things. Yes, I know I said that I can work to better myself, but I am not going off the handle and saying that I can do things such as win the lottery or lose a ridiculous amount of weight. My resolutions are more about working harder in school, making better connections with friends, and doing more things with my family. My goals are easily achievable, and I can do them over the course of the year.
Overall, I would like to say that New Year's is important. It wraps up a year and brings a new one forward. My only problem is that it's taken way out of proportion. So much is done that I don't think should be done, and I feel as though it is just another day in a year.
