New beginnings are typically associated with New Year’s Eve. The atmosphere of excitement, camaraderie, and reflection that most people experience around the end of the holiday season lend well to the creation of resolutions and motivation to change. Yet so many of those resolutions fail as people return to the regular routines and expectations of their everyday lives. If you are someone who tends to ditch the grand promises made in the passion of the year’s end, there is another, more measured option for you – September.

Students understand the promise of September better than anyone else. It can be a magical time, especially if school is your thing – you’re fresh off of what was hopefully a relaxing or adventurous vacation, and can look forward to an exciting first few weeks before your new classrooms and new teachers begin to feel as mundane as they did last year. For many older students, especially in high school or university, September is the time to take initiative and alter the bad habits of your previous year.

Over the next few weeks we will be posting articles geared towards those students who are beginning a new school year. However, we firmly believe that September doesn’t just offer a fresh start to students. Are there some goals that you have been sitting on for a while, or habits that you have been meaning to change, but haven’t found the inspiration to begin yet? Well, what better time than September!

Maybe the reason that most New Year’s Resolutions fail is that they are made at the wrong time of the year. Why not try to create a fresh start for yourself in September, when your life would likely otherwise be rather ordinary? Not only will this allow you to have a clear idea of what you can reasonably expect from yourself on a day to day basis, but you will have better weather and a more daylight hours to work with. If you have kids, take advantage of the fact that their days are occupied and their bedtimes are earlier, if possible. If you don’t have kids, take inspiration from the back to school hype and set some September Resolutions. They might be less exciting, but they will probably be a lot more achievable.

Ariel Benwell