With the New Year arriving, Loyola students have begun to list their resolutions for 2026 in hopes of developing multiple aspects of their lives. These resolutions act as a motivator by setting tangible goals that students can spend the year working towards.

It can be difficult to choose a top resolution to accomplish above the others, so to the students wondering which goals to prioritize, this list has you covered. These are the top four new years resolution categories that Loyola students aim to achieve by the end of the year.

#4. Being Present 

Although the last contender, the students who prioritized being present believed that it was the most important part of their lives, or the part they needed to focus on the most. Instead of worrying about the future or dwelling on the past, students wish to acknowledge where they are right now. Some students plan to ensure that they stay in the present by socializing more and spending time having fun rather than stressing about deadlines.

#3.Self-CareLove

Next up, students took a more self-assuring turn by declaring that they want to focus on self-love and self-care. There were many different interpretations of this, from connecting to God, to limiting screentime, to staying away from insecure men. “I need to focus on falling in love with myself and with the little things I like doing, like my hobbies: writing, reading, art, and my faith in God,” said English sophomore Darci Purdy. These students want to prioritize self-loving habits this year to become the best versions of themselves wholeheartedly. Purdy explains this in a captivating quote: “I want to fall in love with myself and allow that to help me to love others around me.”

#2. Working on

 Passions 

The second-best category, according to our Loyola students, is working on the habits and hobbies they love the most. Students came up with various passions they wanted to focus more on this year, including but not limited to reading more books, relearning how to do a backhand spring, completing the rough draft of an original work, and learning how to cook. Sophomore psychology pre-health major Angel August took on the goal of running half a marathon this year. “It’s been a goal of mine for a while now, actually! I kinda wanted to find a way to stay fit outside of doing colorguard, and I thought, ‘why not try to run half of a marathon?’” she said. Some students were more broad, stating they wished to be more creative in general as well, hoping that creativity will help them with their passions in the future.

#1. Education 

and Success 

With college students biting at the bit to get places in life, the most popular category was easily this one.  Most students have stated that they plan to accomplish goals regarding their education and additional successes outside of school. This was shown in many ways throughout the students dedicated to success. Those focused on education stated that this year will be the year that they truly lock in, and one student even made a specific goal to get on the dean’s list. Some other students took a more career-based route, striving to make more connections that lead them to potential internships. Lastly, some students also plan to budget more this year so that they can reach financial expectations. Junior English major Cae Nguyen is one of those students; they said, “I really need to budget because I’m looking out for future investments like moving for my career path.”  Overall, the consensus on the most sought-out resolutions is to work hard and play hard, prioritizing time management in a way that brings them to academic, occupational, and financial success.