The noisy cafeteria bustles with chatter and the crunching of chip bags, not an ideal place to interview somebody, but it worked for me. The tables were crowded with students laughing, talking, and occasionally yelling. Across from me sat Joseph Kieu, a senior at Sunlake High School. He was finishing his lunch, but he paused when I asked “What’s your New Years Resolution?” Joseph answered, “I want to go to the gym more often.” in a confident voice. Then he added “I really want to better my body, not only for myself but for personal goals like gaining muscle.” I curiously asked what inspired his resolution, to which he said “Honestly, I’ve just been feeling like it’s time to start taking care of myself more. It’s not just about how I look, it’s about feeling good and being healthy.” When I asked if he had a plan, Joseph nodded and said, “Yeah, I’ve given it some thought. I’m going to try and go to the gym at least three to four times a week. I know it’s hard to stay consistent, but I really want to try and make it a habit.” I questioned him further on what else he hoped to achieve by going to the gym. “I want to feel stronger,” he stated. “like not just physically, but as I said before, mentally stronger. I feel like pushing to do something really builds character and respect not only for yourself but it also shows how other people will respect you, you know?” As a senior, it should be known that this is a very stressful year. Applying to colleges, maintaining good grades, and a high GPA can be hard, but making new goals, especially new years resolutions, can really help to set a peaceful state of mind. As Joseph and I talked, we both agreed that senior year is ultimately the most stressful grade of high school, but let it be known that even if the stress does get to you, it’ll all be worth it in the end when a diploma is just a stage walk away. I finally asked him one more question, “Do you think goals are important?” He responded with a genuine response, “I think everybody needs goals, even if they seem small, they’re a reason to wake up in the morning and a reason to push yourself into becoming a better person.”