Roundtable: Resolutions for the next ten years

Kimberly Nguyen, Digital Editor 

 I always have trouble coming up with resolutions for next week, so coming up with resolutions for the next decade seems especially daunting, but I’m up for the challenge. One of the first resolutions I have that came up immediately in my mind was to travel as much as I can within my financial means. There are different parts of the world I have yet to explore that are catching my eye for 2020, especially Japan as the Olympics are coming up. However, I also want to make it a point to explore different parts of the United States. There are many beautiful natural landmarks in the country such as Yellowstone National Park. Whatever career I end up choosing in my life, I want to be able to tell other people’s stories in a profound, impactful way. Ultimately, I hope this decade will bring changes to the journalism community that I want to be a part of. As digital editor, I of course want to see the digital section of The Daily Campus continue to grow in the coming decade. There’s so much potential for creative online content that we have yet to do! Finally, as cheesy as this is, happiness is definitely up there on the list of resolutions as I close out my last year of college at UConn. Everyone has told me how they wish they had stayed in college, that it was the best years of their life. As true as that might be for them, I don’t want to feel as if I’ve peaked in college and continuously want to grow.  

Melissa Scrivani, Associate Life Editor 

The past decade has included some of the busiest and best years of my life. I’ve gone through puberty, fallen in love, learned how to drive, graduated high school and the list continues. Something I haven’t done much that I’d like to do in the next decade? Slow down. I’ve been so busy with work, school, clubs and all my other obligations that I feel like I haven’t had enough time to stop and enjoy the little things. That being said, if I had to pick one resolution for the next decade it would be to slow down and enjoy the smaller moments in my life. There are such simple things that make me so happy, like reading a good book in bed or watching the sunset on the beach, that I don’t often do because I feel like I don’t have “time.” Something I’ve learned is that time is never going to make itself, you need to make time. I’m about to graduate and become a teacher, and I have big plans. I want to be the best teacher I can possibly be and be there for my students in whatever way they need. I want to create a classroom environment that is safe, welcoming and full of potential to learn. I want to keep learning and growing as a teacher and as a person. I’m assuming this will keep me just as busy if not busier than I am now, but I’m going to make the effort to slow down and take time to enjoy small moments. College has blown by so quickly and I don’t want my entire life to feel that way, so I’m going to take the time to take care of myself, do what makes me happy and make the effort to enjoy even the smallest things that make me happy in the next 10 years. 

Alexandra Houdeshell, Managing Editor 

I don’t know what kinds of big picture things I want to do in the next 10 years, but I have a lot of ideas for medium-picture items. Obviously, I’ll graduate college, and from there I don’t know exactly what my job or career will look like, but I know I want to find something I care about. Maybe it’s not the first job I land or the second or the third. Maybe I’ll have to go back to school at some point, or maybe I’ll have to spend some time hiking the Appalachian Trail, but by 2029 I want to be happy with the career that I’ve chosen, and feel like it has meaning for me. I want to live in a city. I want to move out of Connecticut, and then maybe move again. I want to have my own dog, and give it a really ridiculous name. I want to write a book. I want to actually be a vegetarian, as opposed to the fake-vegetarianism I practice now. Or you know, at least be a little more legitimate. Basically I just want to be making more conscientious decisions to support not only my planet but my fellow human beings.  

Julia Mancini, Life Editor 

I am a planner, and I put a lot of thought into my long-term goals. People have teased me for being so anxious about something that’s still in the distant future, but it’s actually reassuring for me to visualize those plans and put them into action. I’ve known forever that I’ve wanted to be a teacher, but over the course of the next 10 years, hopefully my career will finally begin and develop. I plan to be tenured in a school district by 2029, and be an active, engaged member of my school community. I also hope to start a family by the end of the next decade and to have my own home. Another thing I want to accomplish in the next decade is a lot of travel. I have a bucket list of places I want to visit, and my 20s is the best time to do that. The last decade was a time of significant growth and change for me. I’ve learned a lot and felt love and loss and joy, so I can’t wait to see what the next 10 years bring!