New year, new you; with the transition into 2024 comes a chance for students to reinvent themselves through stylistic choices, mental health habits, and lifestyle changes. As many create lists of New Year resolutions with goals for the upcoming months, today’s teens are devising lists of “Ins and Outs” for 2024, intending to leave the outs in the past and bring the ins in for the new year.

Walking through O’Dowd, the New Year spirit is palpable; but beneath the surface of new slippers and trendy water bottles, what resolutions are brewing for 2024? Maya and Nola interviewed a wealth of teens to reveal what is staying and what is going for the year ahead.

Some, like Issa Bonner-Papazian ‘25, aspire to evolve their mindsets for the new year. Issa stated, “It’s all about taking risks and not thinking too much about stuff. Being indecisive is out.” So, many students are aiming to reinvent themselves this year regarding their outlook on life. It seems as though, perchance, confidence is in, and self-doubt is out.

Next, checking in with sophomore Eli Dispensa divulged O’Dowd’s commitment to peace for the new year. Eli, hoping to manifest health and rest into his life, concluded that love would remain and the falsity of off-brand shoes would be going out the window. Dispensa also declared that artichokes could be in for this year, hoping to inspire veggie appreciation in a school living off vending machines. 

Other members mentioned Adidas, big earrings, ice water, and using idioms to be in, while sunny days, slides, hesitation, and clunky bracelets were to be left in 2023. 

Last but not least, Phoebe Aldrich ‘25 took a look at natural beauty. Phoebe claimed, “Owning your natural features and embracing your own beauty is in, rather than basing yourself around trends, which is out.” With so many trends taking over lifestyle and beauty habits in 2023, some, like Phoebe, are using the new year as a chance for self-appreciation, acceptance, and discovering your own self-care habits rather than following microtrends on social media.

Reinventing yourself doesn’t have to be skin deep. After observing the O’Dowd community, the impact of a perspective change is clear. It is clear that it takes only willpower to refashion one’s life. While the excitement of a new year may encourage fancy purchases and an unreasonable amount of hours spent in the gym, real transformation blossoms from dedication to improving oneself.