Once every year, we all make the same heartbreaking mistake—writing that long and typically useless list of New Year’s resolutions. We pour out our hearts into a small list of hopes and dreams that slowly dwindle into nothingness. From achieving higher grades to asking out that cutie in chem class (who you’ve never really talked to), creating resolutions with actual potential can be a challenge. What’s a high schooler to do?

If you’re like me, you struggle to find the perfect balance between setting a meaningful resolution and setting a resolution that is actually attainable. For example, asking out that chem class cutie might be a bit much if you’ve never even held a conversation with them. So if you’re serious about the whole New Year’s resolution thing, start by setting reasonable, concrete goals that you know you can achieve. So, start with the little things. Say hi. Smile occasionally.  Small steps can do wonders.

In addition, writing resolutions with a support system of friends keeps you so much more motivated—and it’s a lot more fun, too. Friends can help keep you grounded and focused on making that first date or more effective essay happen. Better yet, make a resolution together! Find something that both you and your friends care about and want to achieve, construct a realistic plan, and make it happen.

The most difficult part of making New Year’s resolutions, though, is when failure seems imminent. Maybe that special someone doesn’t make an effort to talk to you, or maybe you just flat out don’t understand how to translate sinusoidal graphs. It’s important to remember that if a resolution seems impossible, it probably just needs some support or better planning. Keep going and don’t give up!

So maybe this year, rather than watching helplessly as your dreams for 2015 slip slowly out of your reach, try and stick to them. Help the people around you do the same.  You might just surprise yourself.