Students manifest 2023 resolutions with New Year’s anthems
January 9, 2023
As the clock strikes midnight, signifying the beginning of a new chapter for students, songs can act as metaphors and examples for New Year’s goals.
While people ponder which parts of their lives they wish to improve, The Daily Texan asked students which song they first played in 2023 and how that song relates to their New Year’s resolutions.
Kanak Kapoor, finance sophomore
“The first song I listened to was ‘About You’ by The 1975.”
Kapoor said she believes this song speaks to her platonic relationships, and she wants to make this year about interacting with more people in her extracurricular activities.
“I just joined a sorority this past semester … (and) I really want to get to know more about these girls,” Kapoor said. “I want to know more about them, more ‘about you,’ in context (of) those friends.”
Kapoor said in the new year, she aims to continue to make genuine connections with people at UT by making an active effort to spend time with them.
“I want to really connect with friends on more than a surface level and find friends through doing activities,” Kapoor said. “I really hope that this year I continue that same trend of meeting genuine people and lifelong friends.”
Kelly Matthews, psychology freshman
“The first song I listened to in 2023 was ‘Open Arms’ by SZA and Travis Scott.”
Matthews said that although she doesn’t know all the lyrics yet, she wants to have her own ‘open arms’ to new opportunities that may arise in the new year.
“(This song is) helping me accept change in the new year and being more welcoming to it,” Matthews said. “Change is a good thing.”
Kaylee Campbell, neuroscience sophomore
“(The first song I listened to was) ‘King of Everything’ by Dominic Fike.”
Campbell said this year she wants to put herself first, improve certain aspects of her life and stay consistent with her goals.
“The song talks about how he’s the king of his life; there’s nobody ruling over him,” Campbell said. “This relates to my resolutions because (this year I think) my resolutions should be aligned with what I see my life going toward.”
Vanessa Nguyen, business freshman
“I intentionally listened to ‘One More Time’ by Daft Punk.”
Nguyen said she used this song to reminisce on the importance of 2022, and signify that she wants 2023 to be great without losing the memories she made in this past year.
“(The song) reminds me of how good and pivotal this past year was for me because I graduated high school and started college,” Nguyen said. “‘One More Time’ is a really fun and upbeat song that aligns with my New Year’s resolutions to continue making more fulfilling memories that are as life-changing and fun as it was in 2022.”
