One Day More...

New Year’s Eve is one of those holidays that I just can’t get behind. The pressure, the expectations, the noise—it all adds up to an event that feels more like a burden than a celebration. While others are popping champagne and making resolutions, I’m counting down the minutes until it’s over.

Let’s start with the expectations. There’s this collective assumption that New Year’s Eve should be the most exciting night of the year. We’re supposed to dress up, go out, and have the time of our lives as we say goodbye to one year and welcome the next. But that’s just not how life works. Not every year ends on a high note, and not everyone wants to mark that transition with a loud, flashy party. The idea that we all have to be happy, social, and celebratory feels forced and unrealistic.

Then there’s the noise. I get that some people love the sound of fireworks and the excitement of a big countdown, but for me, it’s overwhelming. The loud bangs, the crowds cheering, the blaring music—it’s all too much. It feels like sensory overload, and instead of feeling festive, I’m just counting down until the noise stops. Quiet reflection on the year that’s passed feels much more natural to me than drowning it out with chaos.

Another thing that bothers me is the pressure to make resolutions. The whole “new year, new me” mindset implies that we need to start fresh and that the clock striking midnight magically resets everything. But life doesn’t work like that. Change happens gradually, and pinning all your hopes on a single night often leads to disappointment. It’s not that I’m against setting goals or trying to improve, but I don’t see why it has to be tied to a specific date. Why not make positive changes whenever you’re ready, instead of waiting for an arbitrary moment on the calendar?

Finally, New Year’s Eve is just plain exhausting. From the build-up and planning to the actual event, there’s so much energy spent on making this night “perfect.” And what for? A few hours of partying, followed by a new day that’s not all that different from the last? The next morning, life is still there with all its challenges and routines. The artificial high of New Year’s Eve can make the return to reality feel even more stark and disappointing.

For me, nothing kicks off the new year better than a good night’s sleep and waking up to a brand new day with a fresh start. While others might be nursing hangovers or dragging themselves out of bed after a late night, I’m well-rested and ready to greet the day with clear eyes and a calm mind. That, to me, is a far better way to start the year than any midnight celebration.

In the end, New Year’s Eve feels like a holiday that’s more about societal expectations than genuine joy. It’s a night that’s overly celebrated, with too much pressure to be something it’s not. I prefer to step back, avoid the noise, and remind myself that I don’t need a specific date to reflect, make changes, or find happiness. New Year’s Eve can come and go, but my life isn’t defined by one night—it’s defined by how I choose to live every day.