The holiday season is quickly approaching, which we all (I assume) anticipate eagerly. Many of us will be headed home to spend our vacations stuffing our faces, lazing around the house and traveling to all corners of the world — some carefree time before the onset of a new year and the responsibilities that its coming entails.

The history of New Year’s Eve dates back to 46 B.C., when Julius Caesar intended to devise a calendar which would more accurately reflect seasonal changes. According to the very reputable goalsguy.com, “The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time.”

In this tradition, New Year’s Eve is a holiday in which we too must look backward and forward simultaneously. People sometimes get so consumed by champagne toasts and partying that they forget the lessons they learned from the year past, and how they plan to integrate them into their futures.

New Year’s is more than just a date on a calendar or the televised image of a shiny ball descending in Times Square. Rather, it’s a time for inner reflection and the re-evaluation of your lifestyle choices and how they impact others around you. In recent years, this message of introspection has been relinquished in how we define New Year’s Eve.

Vacuous and self-serving resolutions like “I’m going to lose five pounds,” or “I’m going to save up enough money so that I can finally buy that Benz!” are in too great abundance. More realistic and attainable goals are often overlooked. I propose making more selfless and binding resolutions, such as “I will become a mentor to a child,” or “I will spend more time with my family when I’m home.” It is easy to become consumed by the prospect of what is best for yourself, but there is a way to satisfy your own ends while upholding your responsibility to the community as well.

My old wrestling coach used to say, “You’re either growing or you’re decaying — nothing in between.” I’ve come to realize this quote’s application in everyday life, and in particular, to New Year’s Day. We must observe our progress in being effective members of the community. When you do something for someone else, you typically feel gratified. This encourages a sense of reciprocating altruism that brings people together, not only during the holiday season, but throughout the year.

On the Chinese New Year, legend has it that a man-eating beast called the “Nyan” would come down from the hills and prey upon the townspeople. In order to thwart the evil being’s appearance, the villagers would join together and light firecrackers with one another to scare him away. This camaraderie with one’s neighbor is exactly what needs to be implemented throughout the world. If we all band together as a unified group, we can help ease some affliction and suffering, and chase away the proverbial “Nyan” from our own homes.