Having a goal for the immediate future is very important for everyone. At MC, students and even faculty should take time to really focus on one or two resolutions to better themselves. It is important to truly push yourself when doing this, as it can really make an impact on your life.

For many faculty and students at Mount Carmel, the new year is being used as a stepping stone to better themselves. It is way deeper than a simple resolution and instead a chance for them to better themselves.

Members of the MC community were asked to speak about their resolutions for 2026, and responses show lots of focus on honing in on one specific resolution and truly sticking to it. Each correlates with the wants of a better way of living, with all of them planning to be disciplined and stay true to their goals.

Students and faculty were asked about their 2026 New Year’s resolution, why they chose it, what inspired them to choose it, and how seriously they would take the resolution. Almost all mentioned self-improvement. Some focused on the mental side, others on the physical side, but all spoke of using this as a way to become better is important.

“I’m trying hard to not have any screens in my bedroom,” said music teacher Mr. KC Perlberg when discussing his resolution to improve sleep habits. “If you’re not fully asleep, you’re not fully awake when it’s time.”

Sleep is one of the most important things in life. Lots of  people can find themselves in this same predicament as Mr. Perlberg when it comes to the temptation to stay on a screen at bedtime.

“We watched my uncle succumb to early-onset Alzheimer’s,” Mr. Perlberg said. “We don’t know everything about the brain, but we do know that sleep and what you put into your body matters.”

Director of Enrollment Mr. Jeff Stur spoke about how he wants to be able to manage outside opinions and take people’s words with a grain of salt.

“Everybody’s always going to have an opinion,” Mr. Stur said. “But they are not you. You have to trust yourself and your abilities.”

He also spoke on how allowing outside noise can really mess you up mentally.

“If you get too caught up in what people are saying, you stress yourself out, and that leads to poor health,” he said.

A lot of people tend to take people’s opinions very personally, and this can also be the case for some MC students, too. There has also been a goal of limiting distractions, as well as being able to stay focused and get the highest grades in preparation for college. Freshman Vincent Esquivel wants to limit distractions and spend less time on the phone.

“There’s more stuff to do than just be inside on your phone,” Esquivel said. “Scrolling on TikTok is not it anymore.”

Many find it a struggle to get off the phone, and this resolution would be great for anyone to give a try cause it can really become an issue when on the phone too much.

Junior Caleb Lee plans to stay on top of his grades as he prepares to start searching for colleges. He plans on attending UNLV and knows that this resolution will allow him to get closer to the dream school he wants to attend. He added that his father has played a huge role in keeping him motivated.

“Getting good grades is very important because I want to get into a good school and be successful in the future,” Lee said.

For seniors Ryland Supurgeci and Gavin Lyons-Mencke, their main focus is to take care of their bodies and stay disciplined to better themselves mentally and physically. Lyons-Mencke plans on hitting the gym hard, while Supurgeci plans to do that as well as eat better.

“The gym helps me with my mental health,” Lyons-Mencke said. “Having a schedule and staying consistent keeps benefiting me.”

He feels these goals he has set for himself will really benefit his everyday life.

“Eating bad food doesn’t really help you,” Supurgeci said. “I’m eating a lot more protein and cutting out sugar.”

Supurgeci cites his dad as a huge inspiration, as they both plan to cut bad food out as well as work out way more. As an athlete, Ryland included how important it is to stay on top of this resolution so he can continue to get better.

“If you set too many goals, you’re going to run out of energy,” Mr. Stur said. “Keeping it focused makes it realistic.”

A key with the New Year’s resolution is not to stack too many, which can cause more stress. Focusing on a few will allow one to get the most out of them.