For some, the dawn of a new year doesn’t mean time to stop smoking or start running every day.

Rather, it’s just a continuation of the party the night before.

Economics senior Jeremy Magruder said he fits into this category of not making promises that will inevitably be broken.

“I stopped making them when I was about 15,” he said. “I got bored with them.”

And the breaking of so-called bad habits is not something everyone is ready to do.

“It’s just a day,” Magruder said. “It’s a good party the night before, but I don’t see why they’re bad if they make you happy.”

And making New Year’s resolutions is something easier said than done for many people, said American Thought and Language Professor Gary Hoppenstand.

“The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that you have to modify behavior for it to be effective,” the popular culture expert said. “For example, if you say you want to lose weight, you have to modify daily actions for it to take effect, and that’s a difficult thing to do.”

The aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is another issue many people are faced with when considering their New Year’s resolutions, Hoppenstand said.

“I think one of the things that are more on people’s minds, and probably this is true with college students, is concern over the future,” he said. “I think people are a lot more insecure right now about what’s going on; certainly internationally, but also domestically, with the downturn in the economy and the downturn with job opportunities.

I think college students are in more preoccupied times.”

And some have this in mind when thinking about ways to improve themselves in the coming year.

“One (resolution) was to stay positive and just to chill out,” said political theory and journalism senior Molly Marco. “I guess I wanted to chill out a little bit because it’s better than being stressed out and worried all the time.

“It’s a waste of energy.”

Hoppenstand said these kinds of thoughts are not unusual for college students to consider in the four months since Sept. 11.

“This certainly preys on their thinking in terms of what will happen when they complete college and their education and concerns over the future,” he said.

But Hoppenstand said time constraints are also a major factor as to whether New Year’s resolutions are kept or not.

“Many resolutions go by the wayside simply because people are very busy, and college students have a lot on their plate they have to deal with,” he said. “It’s difficult to do with contemporary lifestyles.”

With the stress of classes, homework and a job beginning to pile up all over again, some are opting to break only one bad habit rather than attempting to change completely.

Psychology junior Sal DiBenedetto said his resolution was to stop smoking marijuana, but not cigarettes.

“I wanted to stop smoking because I get dumber when I smoke, and I feel like I could excel in the classroom if I don’t smoke,” he said. “I wanted to stop smoking cigarettes, but it didn’t work.

“Weed is one thing, but cigarettes are another.”

Some students are also invading gyms near campus in an attempt to get in shape for 2002.

Kellee Ostrander, co-owner and operator of Powerhouse Gym of East Lansing, 435 E. Grand River Ave., said students attempting to fulfill resolutions to work out or lose weight have impacted the business of the gym.

“The place is completely out of control,” she said. “The last couple days have been insanely busy.”

Ostrander said this trend is not unusual.

“You’ll find in the gym industry, January is by far the busiest time,” she said. “Especially in this case, because people are trying to get ready for spring break in March. Usually it tapers off a little bit in January because people don’t usually stick with it, to be honest.”

Ostrander said although many people sign up for semester passes, which cost $139 per semester, the New Year’s rush will taper off in three weeks or a month.

But for those who intend to keep their resolutions going strong, Hoppenstand suggested using a Palm Pilot as an organizational and motivational tool.

“Organization is a difficult thing to do,” he said. “People are either organized or unorganized with what they do. These are ways that can help you change your lifestyle.

“Make it fun rather than a chore.”