As the clock struck midnight on Jan. 1, thousands embarked on their goal for the upcoming year. For many, a New Year’s Resolution signifies a chance to better themselves. To others, a New Year’s Resolution feels like a death sentence. They see the amount of people that miss their mark each year and think of it as setting themselves up to fail. Luckily, a new New Year’s tradition started to take root in the past few years.

Rather than set a specific goal, some people opt for a word. The general reasoning behind a word rather than a resolution is simple: it allows room for slip ups. When picking a word, there’s the ability to shape it to your year. A resolution to workout 6 days a week goes down the drain when the gym enthusiast breaks their leg, but their word of consistency still stands. 

For 2021, a few DHS teachers elected to bring the word of the year into their classrooms. Amber Kennedy, who teaches Sophomore English and AP Lang, gave each of her students the task to decorate a card with their chosen word then write a paragraph explaining their choice. Her door now stands decorated with an array of colorful cards that display various words, some as simple as go. Words range from persistence to strive, and include everything in between. The unique words that line her door act as a reminder to each one of her students, whether they lean on the word for support or use it as a motivator, that it’s always there.

If there’s one thing to take away from 2020, it’s that life turns upside down at the drop of a hat. Resolutions to spend more time with family, eat healthier and exercise more came to a stop when quarantine started back in March. With the flexibility a word provides, a goal won’t come to a halt with the start of a global pandemic. Instead, it lends a helping hand.