New Semester, New Me?
Three months into the New Year, how are UTSC students keeping up with their resolutions?
UTSC faculty recapping the accomplishments in 2025. (Photo Credit: @utsc // Instagram)
The University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) reopened for the winter semester on Jan. 5. The optimism of January filled lecture halls and libraries. The new year perfectly aligns with a reset that matches the beginning of a new academic semester. The “New Year, New Me” mindset is everywhere.
For many students, this mindset is a strong sense of hope and direction. A new year can feel like a clean slate and an opportunity to better habits academically and personally.
A Stanford study discusses “the ‘fresh-start effect,’ referring to a period of increased motivation that coincides with a time of change, such as a new calendar year.”
Arzo Habibi, a third-year student pursuing Health Studies and Media and Communications said having goals is a positive sign for the new year.
“As a student, it means using the new year as a jumpstart to reaching my goals,” said Habibi
This motivating mindset is a perfect opportunity to instill healthy habits and adopt positive lifestyle choices.
Anisa Persaud, a third-year student pursuing English and Political Science, says, “New Year, new me is establishing a ‘rebrand’ of sorts.”
“Every year, I want to do better, aim higher, and achieve more. This means doing things I didn’t do in the previous year to create a “new me” that is more successful,” said Persaud.
Students might often find themselves overwhelmed with assignments and exams, making it harder to maintain the motivation they had in January. The “New Year, New Me” mentality starts strong, but making it last is when the real challenge begins.
A study by Forbes highlights approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail.
Habibi attributes her burnout to the workload. “I just get exhausted from the semester and when professors give lots of assignments at once.”
For commuter students, the cold winter weather has a huge impact on motivation. Snowy days and long commutes often make attending classes and staying productive more difficult.
A student-led study by Toronto Metropolitan University reveals an overwhelming 61 percent of students feel long commutes are a barrier to campus participation. The cold winter weather coinciding with the new year provides an extra hurdle for commuter students.
“Not only does it cost me my energy to make it to class, but the cold often deters me from doing anything but staying in bed in an effort to stay warm,” said commuter student Persaud.
Despite these challenges, both students have made strategies that help their motivation last and have effective resolutions.
Habibi and Persaud have decided to focus on prioritizing discipline and structure, such as starting assignments early to avoid feeling overwhelmed later. They said that those who plan for their workloads are more likely to handle their responsibilities and prevent burnout.
“I try to start assignments earlier so that when the due dates come up, I don’t feel overwhelmed,” said Habibi.
Persaud is strict with creating checklists and rewarding herself with every task achieved. She also credits waking up earlier as a habit that has helped improve her productivity.
“To be successful in any task, discipline must be consistent.” she said
Long-term success comes from sticking to routines. Queen’s Gazette writes, “Research has found that having regular work processes allows workers to spend less cognitive energy on recurring tasks, which can support focus and creativity for more complex tasks.”
“Pick something realistic. Steps are realistic, write down your steps. There’s levels to a resolution, and it makes it so much easier to achieve if you know how to even get there,” said third-year UTSC student Arzo Habibi. (Photo Credit: @utsc // Instagram)
Students tend to be productive throughout the semester if they attend classes on a regular basis, keep up with their readings, and follow a set schedule.
Ainularsh Malik, a second-year Psychology student, says, “Our brain is under stress to fulfill those goals, and instead of actually doing them, our brain tends to put emphasis on the stress of those tasks, leading to unproductivity and burnout.”
Students’ batteries eventually run out when we solely focus on the tasks and commitments. Creating an identity apart from your work-related stress is a natural defence against stress overload and aids in being productive in the long term.
Persaud advises on preventing burnout, saying, “Do activities that relax you, things you enjoy.”
Dr. Vijai writes, “Prolonged exposure to stress without effective coping strategies can result in burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion and reduced performance.”
Habibi and Persaud both advised that being realistic is essential for achieving resolutions, and students can benefit best by breaking down goals into easier-to-accomplish steps.
“Pick something realistic. Steps are realistic, write down your steps. There’s levels to a resolution, and it makes it so much easier to achieve if you know how to even get there,” Habibi said.
By concentrating on semester-specific goals instead of broad, year-long ones. These short-term goals are more effective and accomplished because they seem more meaningful and achievable.
Sanford Health reports, “When we shift from overwhelming resolutions to realistic goals, mindfulness, daily gratitude, consistent micro-wins, and intentional urgency…we build confidence, resilience, and sustainable momentum.”
The fresh start effect, along with a new semester, increases motivation with the force behind the “New Year, New Me” mentality. It can be an effective motivating factor and catalyst for change, but relying solely on it typically leads to burnout as optimism inevitably fades.
Ultimately, success in the long run for UTSC students is more likely to come from mindfulness, balance, and consistent habits. The new year's motivation can fade, but the desire for personal growth does not have to go away if you have established achievable goals and long-lasting routines.
