On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being good and one being awful, Maddie Reiher, a sophomore geology major, said she gave 2016 a negative five.

Now, she said she hopes for 2017 to be at least a five.

Students coming back on campus took it upon themselves to come up with new ideas on how to make 2017 better than its predecessor.

Some decided on New Year’s resolutions for the year and upcoming semester.

According to an article from History.com, the ancient Babylonians were the first to make New Year’s resolutions about 4,000 years ago.

Reiher said her resolution for 2017 is simply to wear socks every day.

This resolution is the same resolution she made last year.

“There is a value to these resolutions, but if you are going to do something, don’t wait until New Year’s to do it,” she said.

Kristen Heckel, a freshman marketing major, said 2016 was not terrible, but it is impossible for this year to be as crazy as the last one.

Heckel made the resolution to drink more water and love more people.

“New Year’s resolutions are important, and they remind people to make goals for themselves,” she said.

Madelyn Loellke, a freshman marketing and Spanish major, said she thinks New Year’s resolutions are not as prominent this year and have faded in popularity because of the lack of commitment people devote to them.

Many people every year make a long list of resolutions and goals only to bury them in the past and never achieve them, she added.

Loellke does not make resolutions. Instead, she just reminds herself to do better every year.

“2016 was a year of the impossible, with the Cubs winning (the World Series) and (President-elect Donald) Trump being elected. I think that anything can happen,” Loellke said. “We’ll take what we can get in 2017.”

Cady Weber, a freshman elementary education major, said she would like to work on her time management skills this semester and go to the library more so she can be more focused on her homework.

Weber said she has not actually completed and stuck to resolutions she made in previous years, but she would like to go to the gym more and eat healthier this year.

Lindy Dokken, a freshman psychology major, had a different take for her New Year’s resolution.

Dokken said her resolution or goal that she has set for herself is to be nicer to her mom, or nicer than she is to her already.

She said she wants to meet more people and attend more events on campus.

“People should set goals for themselves more than just once a year,” Dokken said.

Liz Stephens can be reached at 581-2812 or ejstephens2@eiu.edu.