Have you ever thought about narrowing down your entire 2018 improvement plan into one valuable word? Just one word that tells exactly what you plan on doing better, or doing more of, or less of. This is the question posed to student journalists for this blog.
Photo by Photo by Terrance Evans
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By MAGGIE SORENSEN I want to be more accountable in my life this year. For myself, I would like to hold myself accountable for the goals I make. To follow through in all areas of my life, including school, social, mental and physical areas. I want to hold the people I surround myself with to a certain standard of accountability. Accountability is important in all areas of your life as you start to enter adulthood, especially when it comes to a career. Accountability teaches you when to say no, to better manage your time, and helps you organize what is most important in your life. By KRISTA KREKELER After a long and busy year, I am ready to feel renewed in Christ. I want to look at God’s Word with new eyes and to feel refreshed by the peace it brings. Every day, I want to wake up and pursue God wholeheartedly and without hesitation. I need to remind myself in this new year that God will make all things new, and I am not an exception. Right now and always, God is working in my life — constantly refining me and changing my heart. Let my prayer this year be: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10). I must find comfort and rest in Him above all else. I want to yearn for Him. I will eagerly await His return. By MADELYN SHOTTON I am always thinking about the future. Whether it’s about my next class, what tomorrow will bring, or even what I’m going to make for dinner. I’m constantly thinking about about my next move, what is to come, and what is about to happen. I want to tell myself that no matter what happens, and no matter how things go, things will be OK. Things may not go as I had planned in my mind, or how it happened to my peer, or how it’s “supposed” to happen. I want to be content with things being “OK.” By TREVOR CHANEY At 21 years of age, I’ve noticed my life becoming stagnant. I feel the frustration building with every morning workout, followed by school, followed by practice and finally ending my night with work. This year I see myself taking advantage of my time. I may be from California, but the thrills St. Louis has to offer are new to me and I would be remiss in letting these years go unventured. Finding time is the hard part of making time. Although my schedule is full, there are several parts of my week that go unaccounted for due to my level of exhaustion. Days that I am blessed not to be assigned homework I would use to sleep and prepare for the next day. Those few hours can be spent with friends or going downtown and experiencing the heart of St Louis. This year I will change everything from my mindset to how my time is spent, all while understanding that it is appropriate to take a break in order to succeed in daily life. By ROSS MUNROE As a full-time student, part-time worker and someone who is in a relationship, I have to balance many things in my life. One of the things I sometimes struggle with is money management. This year I want to be more thrifty. I make enough money to have fun and save for the future but I have never taken it super seriously. I have taken the Financial Peace class and I intend to apply it better in my life. Managing a schedule is easy for me so I intend to apply those skills to my finances. This year I am going to be more Thrifty.Accountability
Renewed
OK with OK
Change
Thrifty
Photo by Simone Thomas
Triston Buckley 
Emily Retzer