In’s & Out’s of 2026
by Maggie Kaprielian
As an overly sentimental person who grasps onto memories as “Auld Lang Syne” plays, I never fully related to the whole New Year's resolutions tradition. I’ve spent more time mourning the year’s conclusion than looking forward to the possibility of the future. In a change of current, this previous year proved otherwise. January first greeted me with relief, a sign that I was no longer stuck. Finally, I was more than willing to let go, leaving room for 2026.
What I believe dictates a “bad year” for someone is how apparent it is that they have no control over their life. Maybe that is why an uptick in goal setting during the New Year is so popular; maybe we do have control over just a smidge of all of this. Following these goal setters, I have conducted an In's and Out’s list for 2026. Composed of what I want to attract and dissolve from my life, this list proves we have a bit of agency in making our lives brighter.
IN: physical media
So much of our daily lives are overwhelmed by technology. From digital calendars to the cluttered camera roll, functions once reliant on physical objects are now reduced to a phone screen. Why should that be? Especially now with the rise of AI, technology fatigue has become increasingly common. I propose with the new year: a return to physical media. Visit your local library. Venture to independent book and record stores. Get that digital camera, even if it is a hand-me-down and is on its last leg from being too loved 20 years ago. One of my professors during syllabus week joked that we were going full analog and handwriting our essays. Maybe I am speaking too soon, but I am not fully opposed. Anything to get off the screens and back to the physical world.
OUT: fomo
Let’s face it. Nobody is completely busy and satisfied with their lives all of the time. Despite what Instagram (and its even more evil twin Linkedin) suggests, I guarantee, no one’s plate is ever constantly full of the foods that are tasty. As a college student, this sentiment often gets lost. So you decide to spend a Saturday night in your room journaling instead of socializing? So what if you haven’t landed your dream internship? Do these things truly dictate if you are falling behind from the rest of the crowd? In the wise words of Billy Joel, “slow down, you’re doing fine.” Cause trust me, you are doing fine.
IN: compliments
We’ve all been in the elevator before, and the stranger next to us is wearing a pretty sweater. It’s your favorite color, and you are wondering where they got it from. Do you say something? Do you just stand there awkwardly? You finally work up the courage after agonizing hesitation. But it’s too late. They got off on the next floor. That is why I am preaching to speak before you think. If a compliment is forming in your head, might as well say it aloud. A compliment is only the start of a beautiful path. Maybe all it does is make that person’s day (even so, that’s the power of just a few words). There have also been friendships of mine born from one of us complementing the other. All from the admiration of a necklace, or tote bag, or a pair of shoes. Let’s eliminate those silent elevator rides.
OUT: trying to be cool
As humans, we naturally wonder how others perceive us. The hyper-awareness of Gen Z is an entirely separate conversation. I am constantly worried if I am memorable to the people I meet, if I bring something to the table that’s fresh and exciting. I am one of the many who creates an image in my head, not of who I am, but of who I think I should be. Here’s the thing. No one actually cares if I wear sweatpants to go grocery shopping, or if my favorite song by an artist is their most popular. If you think about it, who even dictates what is cool? Life doesn’t exist within the vacuum of the Pinterest board you are constantly striving for.
IN: yogurt bowls
The more I age, the more I realize so many people skip breakfast. For me, breakfast has always been an unnoticed priority, a meal I never appreciated until recently. Now, I try to be more adventurous with my morning fuel options. A recent obsession of mine is yogurt bowls. Classes are easier to sit through after eating a greek yogurt bowl with granola and banana. As silly as it sounds (it’s just yogurt at the end of the day), this new fascination has sparked a sense of whimsy in the mundanity of mornings. The long day ahead suddenly becomes sweet. I highly recommend customizing a yogurt bowl to your liking. Have fun with it, as we should with life. And if yogurt simply isn’t for you, find a way to create a breakfast on your own terms.
OUT: listening to sad music when it is unnecessary
I get it, Conan Gray makes great music to cry to. So why are we playing him on a lovely, sunny day? An artist’s work acts as a catharsis in dealing with heavy moments. In fact, I owe several albums credit for getting me through the past year. With that being said, I will be perfectly content, and ruin it by playing sad music. The addiction is unexplainable; however, it needs to end. If you are in a great mood, preserve it. Come back to Conan Gray when you are in need of processing your difficult emotions. Don’t process them when they don’t need to be felt.
IN: day trips
If vacationing was a cheap hobby, I would never be home. However, where there is a will, there is a way. I am talking about day trips, a getaway that ends exactly where you began in the morning. Whether I am with my mom, a few friends, or by myself, day trips provide a sense of amusement, a fun excursion on a budget. Finding new places within a two hour radius of your house is an accessible getaway from the boringness of routine. From trailing across Maryland with my dad for the antique stores, to experiencing Salem in the fall with my college friends, day trips have led to wonderful memories not far from home. Bask in the main streets you have yet to walk. Discover a trail that leads you to a waterfall you didn’t know existed. The world is much larger than your hometown, and you don’t need to cross an ocean to learn that.
“There is so much more to life than the past. Don’t miss it by being hung up on what didn’t suit you”.
OUT: letting the past haunt the narrative
Maybe it’s just me, but the idea of staring out the Amtrak window and drowning in what once was is pushed. We are supposed to never get over anything, recounting the same situation incessantly until it is dissected to pieces. Processing difficult memories through reflection can be therapeutic. Healing also has no timeline and shouldn’t be measured linearly. However, I have found that as my mind drowns in thoughts of these difficult memories, I convince myself that the past is somehow more important than the future (or let alone the present moment). Got an evil ex who you are reminded of wherever you go? Traumatized by a friend group that deteriorated before your eyes? Sit with those moments, and process them at your own speed. But don’t trick yourself into thinking that you are stuck. Cause you are not. There is so much more to life than the past. Don’t miss it by being hung up on what didn’t suit you.
It’s 2026, let that shit go.
