2025 is here, and many want to change their lives by switching their lifestyles altogether. Instead of the usual, vague New Year’s resolutions, a more focused and intentional approach has gained popularity: creating an “ins and outs” list. This list helps students define specific habits, goals, or behaviors they want to adopt as well as those they want to let go of. This list creates a purposeful way to make choices that align with your priorities, helping you to identify your needs, desires, and aspirations for the year ahead.
Self-care makes up a big portion of many of the “ins” portion of these lists as self-care is something that many of us forget to focus on or don’t make time for. With the rise in wanting to prioritize yourself and wanting to become the best version of yourself, many want to focus on their well-being more in 2025. It’s challenging for students to deal with societal pressures between academic, social, and athletic pressures, and neglecting one’s physical and mental health can lead to burnout. Finding an activity that helps you destress and get your mind off of school is a new priority for many. “I want to incorporate working out more often into my daily routine,” sophomore Megan Lamers said.
The best part of these “ins and outs” lists is that they can include anything. The “ins and outs” lists gained popularity because they are easy to relate to and accomplish. No matter the topic, thoughtful or small, it’s a helpful way for people to easily start a new habit. “I want to start wearing slick backs because it’s a clean hairstyle and it always makes me feel put together,” junior Olivia Kremenak said.
Instead of focusing on perfection, the trend encourages small but meaningful changes, like adopting new activities. Nowadays, many are focused on their sports and extracurriculars. However, finding hobbies that simply bring people joy is important to also make time for the fun things. “I want to try doing yoga more, especially puppy yoga,” Lamers said.
In today’s society, many want to change their nutrition habits and start eating more clean and whole foods that are better for their body. As we know, teenagers often eat out and it’s not always in the category of “nutritious foods”. Many students are looking for that to change in 2025. Incorporating healthier snacks, even if it’s not a big change, many want to change their lifestyle beginning with baby steps. “I want to stop eating super unhealthy [foods],” Lamers said.