Students Make New Semester Resolutions
by Regina Willis

It's a new semester and a new year, and many UNC Chapel Hill students have a new attitude.

Some students are focusing more on school.

"This year, I resolved to attend class as much as possible," said Freshman Kyle McKenzie. "I'm trying to pick up the motivation. I'm paying money to come here."

Freshman Anup Patel agrees.

"I gotta pull my GPA up," he said. "I have to go from a 2.4 to a 3 point something."

But not everyone is heading for the library.

"I want to take time to actually do some fun things and not study all the time," said junior Meredith Smith.

Brittany Whitesell also plans to focus on nightlife.

"I enjoy going out on Thursdays, that sort of thing," she said.

Sophomore Jake Mattocks is having a more difficult time with his resolution.

"I wanted to quit smoking," he said, "but I didn't even hold that one past midnight."

But Sophomore Paige Abbott is optimistic.

"I've been a vegetarian for two weeks now; that was my New Year's resolution," she said. "Sometimes they work for like a month or so, then they just fade away, but this one I'm gonna do...for at least a year."

Many will be heading for the gym.

"I'm gonna start working out; I'm gonna lose some weight this semester," said Mattocks.

Whitesell has it all worked out.

"I want to work out more, which means actually keeping up with the workout plan because in the past, I've started working out and stopped," she said.

Sophomore Jenna Parks has been a regular at the Student Recreation Center all year.

"Normally there's not nearly this many people," she said, "but right after New Year's and right before Spring Break, there's tons more people."

Fellow regular Michele DeMarco thinks most students will give up their resolutions soon.

"It's the beginning of the year," she said. "I give it two weeks, and it'll be back to normal."

Senior Ruchi Patel has learned a few things during her time at Carolina.

"I usually make New Year's resolutions," she said, "but I've never made good on them, so this year, I'm going to be different and not make one."