It is that time of year once again. The calendar has flipped over to a new year. We as a collative group will spend the next few months writing the wrong year on everything. I remember those first days of school after winter break when I would have to constantly erase the date because I forgot to write the New Year.

Along with having to learn to write a new date, the beginning of the year is a time that people decide to make major life changes in the form of New Year’s resolutions. You may want to work out more, maybe attend church more often, maybe, just maybe, you are going to try and save more money than last year. The common theme is typically that they are massive goals that you set for the yearm, and then a couple of months later everything goes back to normal and the resolution is forgotten.

This year, I have decided to do something different. I have decided to make a resolution that I will stick with. To do something that there is no chance of looking back a month from now and lamenting my failed attempt.

The first key is to start simple, to not make a resolution that requires me to make a massive life change. I’m lazy (there, I said it), so it is not very likely that I am going to get up every morning before heading to work and go to the gym. So that is crossed off the list of potential resolutions.

The second key is to make it attainable. My New Year’s resolution can’t be to win a Noble Peace prize this year. Sorry, not going to happen. All that would earn me is disappointment come December that I failed my resolution once again.

Finally, it has to be different from last year. Even though you failed in your resolution last year (Yeah, I’m talking to you) doesn’t mean you can roll it over and try it again this year. So my resolution last year of learning more Spanish while in Spain (which I failed at in epic proportions) cannot become my “New” resolution for this, partially because I’m now back in America.

So now taking my three guidelines into account, it is time to pick that simple, attainable, “new” New Year’s resolution. I thought about making it to win Saturday’s Powerball drawing, but sadly that doesn’t very well fit guideline number two of attainable.

So instead, I have decided to go with eating out less. It meets all three requirements. It is simple. I just have to cook more. It is attainable. The main deterrent—cooking—is something I really enjoy doing. Finally, it is different from last year, although I may try some of those Spanish dishes I liked, but probably not the Pulpo or boiled octopus though.

Yuck.