Jalyn Thomas, Contributing Writer
2026 is the year of change. It’s the year of the horse — a symbol of freedom, energy and responsibility. It’s also a year that, unlike years past, I have not heard people use the phrase “new year, new me.”
This phrase used to dominate conversations around the new year, so much so that some considered it a “cringey” thing to say. Growing up and seeing people hate on the sentiment was confusing. What’s the point in discouraging someone who is just trying to change for the better?
Though this year the phrase seems scarce, there have been new variations of its message. Vision and mood boards for the new year, craftier counterparts of the phrase, have seen a surge in popularity.
But what could have brought on this change? Why do people seem to have given up on “new year, new me?”
Maybe people have become overwhelmed by change — the current administration has turned our culture and society upside down, leaving many upset and confused. This year feels exponentially different already, with everyone finding new ways to cope with the shifts within our culture. Maybe the change that people seek this year is not individual, but rather societal.
Instead of “new year, new me,” maybe people would prefer “new year, new reality.”
2025 was a year filled with strife and confusion. It is a year many are happy to see the end of — hoping 2026 will come with promises of change. Well, we’re only two weeks in, and 2026 is already historic.
In Virginia, we will soon be swearing in our first woman Governor — Abigail Spanberger — a member of the Democratic Party. As seen back in November, her election brought about a positive change in attitude for despairing people across the country.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as the first Muslim mayor of New York City on Jan. 1. He has wasted no time in committing to his promises, which include developing safe and affordable housing, childcare and public bathrooms to all New Yorkers. Both Spanberger’s win and Mamdani’s work have generated hope for our future as a nation.
On the other hand, President Donald Trump conducted a historic bombing in Venezuela on Jan. 3. Trump plans to “run” Venezuela and extract the country of its oil. Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is being held in New York on drug charges, an unlawful capture and escalation of war.
I am not the only one who noticed this is openly unconstitutional and deeply imperialistic, something many of us are deeply frightened by.
Staying informed, especially now, is important now more than ever. Especially during an administration that has continuously made choices and actions that harm us, especially following the recent Minneapolis violence where an ICE agent shot and killed an unarmed woman in broad daylight.
While “new year, new me” is an age-old phrase, so is “with knowledge comes power.” Reality cannot be unwritten, no matter how much we want it to be, so the best thing we can do in the midst of times where change feels bleak is to stay in the know.
So while you’re creating your New Year’s resolution, please remember that staying informed should be at the top of your list.