28 December 2016 | Category: Tips and advice for studying in Wageningen

New Year’s Resolutions

By Pranav Kulkarni

MSc Animal Science...

“Turning over a new leaf

The world awaits the dong

As the church bell strikes 12 at midnight

The crowd joins in a chorus song”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

New year eve is a very special event in all of our lives. We wait patiently for previous year to pass and another to come. And the last few hours, with friends, beloved, family and others, makes us tremble with excitement. This is the time that people are supposed to make new year’s resolutions. Those aims which we promise to fulfil in the year to come. Sometimes we succeed in keeping those promises, sometimes we don’t. But nevertheless, we go through this ritual every New Year’s Eve. Since it is important for all of us to keep working towards an aim, a goal, a target, this piece of ritual is very dear to us.

These are the things I wish to discuss before the New Year’s Eve.

There are resolutions concerning certain habits that we wish to lose, concerning health and fitness issues, concerning career goals and many others. All of us know what we must achieve in the coming year. But there are other things that we fail to recognize. Usually our resolutions are regarding stuff/ people surrounding us. But there are things outside our relations that keep affecting us unknowingly. These are the things I wish to discuss before the New Year’s Eve.

 

campus at night wageningen
Campus in the evening time

 

The world is changing, as mankind makes its way towards an artificially flooded environment, mother nature has decided to complain. In doing so, there are certain changes in the world that are causing serious troubles for the human race. For instance, the global warming, the changes in seasons and climate, ozone depletion. Then there are other things like food insecurity, population explosion which lead to socio-economic problems that we see every day. It’s time we start thinking beyond our little scope.

 

When all of us think about others, we become one big family, the human family. This is what will ultimately save us from the doom that lurks in our future.

 

The new year’s resolution concept can be an opportunity for us to make some positive changes in us that will not only affect us and those that we love but all our brothers and sisters in the world beyond our comfort zone. Here are some ideas that we can contribute to a socio-environmental cause for the sake of betterment of the world by resolving to practice.

  • I will not waste food: Plan beforehand for how much we need, and make arrangements accordingly. It is criminal to waste something that many people are deprived of in the world.
  • I will not waste water: one of the biggest concerns is potable water that has caused problems in many places. You are fortunate to have a 24/7 water supply, but believe me, there are people who must walk miles in search of water.
  • I will try and save electricity: another commodity that is always in short supply in some parts of the world.
  • I will recycle stuff: recycling of what seems like waste can help reduce the burden of waste management. Certain plastic containers, bags, glass bottles can be put to use again. Think about innovative ways to recycle these products.

screen-carou
[Source]

  • I will use my bicycle more: although Dutch people use more bicycle than any other nationalities, there is still use of cars and other fossil fuel burning locomotives that we cannot do without. But we can always reduce that as much as possible.
  • I will eat less meat: meat forms the main part of our diet. But production of meat causes increase in greenhouse gases emissions which are central to global climate concerns. Maybe you can come up with vegetarian food that can replace the meat. It never harms to experiment new food stuffs.
  • I will do charity: if you are a working professional or a student with an income, you should think about donation. It doesn’t mean that you should donate large amounts of money for a certain cause. It just means that you can donate a small amount (as much as you can spare without jeopardizing your livelihood) for the right cause. Helping others can give happiness that has no bounds.
  • I will educate others: if you are really concerned about our world, it’s not just sufficient to work for it on your own. You must help others know what we are facing. You can influence others in following your lead for betterment of the world.

 

It’s time we start thinking beyond our little scope.

This is not the end of a list but just a beginning. You may come up with more ideas than I can. There are a million things that we can do better. When all of us think about others, we become one big family, the human family. This is what will ultimately save us from the doom that lurks in our future. A new year’s celebration is a celebration of reforming, a new page in the book of life. Fill it will positivity, love and compassion. Fill it not only with your hopes and aspirations but those of others. Humans from other part of the world may not be your friends or loved ones but they share the same features that you have, they breathe the same air and they hope to have a great future just like you. We are not perfect, but together we can achieve perfection.

By Pranav Kulkarni

MSc Animal Science

There are 2 comments.

  1. By: Carlos · 04-01-2017 at 20:20

    that is right, for make a new world

  2. By: Paul Mwamu · 06-03-2017 at 11:48

    That’s great my strive to achieve the goals is bearing fruit.

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