I’ve heard it too many times to count since the clock struck 12 and the curtain came down on 2017: “New year, new me!” People are already voraciously making resolutions that they probably won’t even wind up keeping. It’s as though everyone is trying to erase everything they have done in the past and start anew.

Personally, I just can’t stay in line with this philosophy. I have always been one to hold onto memories and lessons that may have been tough to learn, but helped me grow as a person. Our past is what composes our identity, and it helps us progress through previous knowledge, and it is important to not leave everything behind.

According to an article from The Huffington Post, written on the dawn of 2017 last year, only 8% of people actually keep up with their New Year’s resolution. This statistic goes to show how few people respond well to such abrupt change. It is important to take what life throws at you and react to it in stages, making a gradual change if you want to based on the things you learn along the way and what you already know.

I would rather just enter the new year with a positive attitude, being open to the new opportunities that are to come, but I will not just leave everything in the past. To me, the lessons I have learned in the past year were very significant. Last year, I focused on surrounding myself with positive people, and am glad to say that it definitely changed my life for the better. It allowed for a great support system that was always there for me, and I tried to be there for them as much as possible.

This exact approach is something I’d like to pack up and take with me into the future. As my senior year of high school comes to a close in six months, I’d like to employ the things that have allowed me to expand my horizons as I get closer to going forth into the world. Will I change out there? Absolutely, but again, all change stems from experience, and there are some components of my outlook that I know will never change.

When the glitter and mystique of New Year’s Eve has faded, we are left with nothing but ourselves. We can’t change the past, whether we like it or not. I’d rather take this opportunity to amplify my identity instead of trying to become someone who I am not.

Eating a little healthier? Being a little more adventurous? Sure, why not try it. But I am still the same hard-working girl that likes to look on the bright side from last year, and I have no intention to leave behind all that I have learned and grown from.