I know lots of people may argue it or maybe even be offended. A gasp of 'no way!' could even slip from your lips. But, it must be said. New Year's Eve is pointless and overrated. And do not even try to deny it. You all know it is totally true.

What exactly is the celebration of New Year's? Starting a new year. Okay, cool. Whatever! Who really starts totally new when it is a new year? How long do your new year's resolutions really last? And please tell me why you need a 'new year' to be a 'new you.' The new year comes during the same year of school and the same fiscal year, so really it isn't a new year at all which means that if you want to start over, you really are able to do it at any time you want. And let's face it, if you are that determined to change, or make something different about your lifestyle, the time of year really has nothing to do with it. You'll turn your leaf the day you get that urge to make a change in your life, not when the last digit of the date changes.

More about New Year's being overrated: it is not a special time to party. It's not as though anything extraordinary happens at New Year's Eve parties. You already did your family celebrating at Christmas and you party with your friends all break. You've been drinking with your friends all break. And the couples that kiss at midnight have been kissing all break. Like my roommate so classically put it, 'New Year's Eve is like a Tuesday night at UD.' And she hit it right on the head. New Year's is just a party night with a name. All it does is cause stress for party plans, gives kids another reason to tell their parents some non-truths about their whereabouts for the night and set people up for disappointment two weeks into the new year because they no longer have the determination to continue with their resolutions.

I am not saying that New Year's isn't a fun time. I'm simply suggesting that way too much time and energy is put into it. People should be able to relax after Christmas. Spend some time actually relaxing and letting their nerves settle. Instead, the mall is just as packed as ever with people on the hunt to find the 'perfect' thing to wear New Year's Eve night, the phone is constantly busy in plan preparation and the grocery store is crazy as people are out getting that last ingredient to make yet another holiday feast. New Year's hype needs to settle down. People need to chill out. It would be a much better resolution for everyone to just take a deep breath, look around and absorb what is going on in their life as opposed to rushing off to get together with one more group of people

Argue with me if you must, but at least part of what's inside of you agrees with my bottom line: no matter how you look at it, New Year's is overrated.