By this time of the year, even the most well-intended of resolutions made for the new year have become just that—well intended.

Now come on, you can admit it. It does seem to be the perfect time to put the past behind and break forth into the New Year with a fresh start, doesn’t it?

A little time off to enjoy the holiday season and everyone is rested and ready jump back into the same old patterns that life has designed for us with newfound determination and outlook.

But around about the third week into the month, the time becomes right for New Year’s Resolutions to become passe. Think about it.

The week before the Big Day, the only question to start off any meaningless conversation with is … “Have you made your New Year’s resolutions yet?” After this suggestions are exchanged between the resolution-makers-to-be with the best of intentions and then later, with resolve, the promises are proclaimed for all to hear.

Declarations of committments claiming that This is going to be The year that the resolution will be kept, are expounded as the first week of the New Year begins.

And overall, the majority of resolution makers are fairly dedicated to sticking to their words. The few slips here and there are easily remedied with a gentle reminder from fellow resolution makers.

Then comes the moment in time when the true resolution makers are separated from the seasonal or trendy types. The second week of the month is truly the make-it or break-it week.

It is the week during which it becomes easier and easier to say … “Well, just this one time won’t do any harm, next time will be different…”

So by the time week three rolls around, most resolutions are a thing of the past, dismissed as ridiculous and forgotten.

But making a resolution and sticking to it is not that bad of an idea when you sit back and think about it. Especially for those around the university who are looking to break away from past problems and come up with solutions.

Maybe something as simple as a new year’s resolution made by some of NIU’s administrators could, at the very least, do some good. What could it hurt?

ow about a resolution as simple as getting out of the office in Lowden Hall at least once a week for, oh, say an hour or so, and checking out what does go on around campus. What better way could be found to keep in touch with the goings-on?

Spending hour after hour sitting in meetings and listening to reports on the state of NIU is not the way to keep a finger on the pulse of the university.

Stories are told of Leslie A. Holmes, a former NIU president, who made a habit of such a practice. The university could expect the unexpected with this president.

Holmes was known to drop in on a class lecture or two just to see what was going on in the university’s classrooms.

Or he might take a walk through one of the numerous offices on campus and stop to chat with workers to see how their jobs were going.

And once, during a stroll through what is now known as the Holmes Student Center, he began a conversation with a student, who as most students probably would be, was unaware of whom he was speaking with. In the end introductions were exchanged and an invitation to dinner was offered to the student and a friend of his choice.

Now granted, for anyone on the NIU campus to receive an invitation to dine at President John LaTourette’s house for dinner or to drive around the block in Provost Kendall Baker’s red porsche is a bit out of the ordinary, but administrators might learn a new thing or two by getting out and mingling.

A conversation struck up while trotting around the track with Jon Dalton, vice president of student affairs, or even while sipping sodas in the Pow Wow with the president, might offer a new look at some things.

In fact, the views seen could turn out to be very different from that of an office window.