Suggested resolution: Read

That is one of the simplest New Year’s resolutions I know. But don’t be fooled; starting a new habit, especially one that takes time and work, can be difficult. For the resolution I suggested, a few rules apply. Books assigned as homework don’t count toward the resolution. “Clifford� (the big red dog) books don’t count either. And to accomplish this resolution, you must put down your video game controller or whatever else wastes time and pick up a book.

Another task is that of choosing a book to read. Above all, read a profitable book; don’t read anything mindless. Read a classic such as “Moby Dick� or “The Odyssey.� Find a nonfiction book on an enjoyable or interesting subject. Read the Bible, the best-selling book ever. Read poetry, history, biographies, or whatever you want to read.

But be careful, because some books are difficult reading. Poetry can be hard to understand, and some books are too technical. Just don’t turn your resolution into a rut; read all kinds of books. Of course, there is nothing wrong with learning everything about a particular subject.

Once you’ve started reading, don’t stop. Don’t put down a book before you finish — and before you start, make sure that the book and its content will not be overwhelming. New Year’s resolutions require time to carry out and complete; give yourself that time and keep yourself from wasting time on frivolities.

When you finish your first book, read another, and another, and another. You can be absolutely sure that there will always be another book to read.

This resolution is not the only one that exists; you can think of your own resolutions as well as use the one I suggested. But I strongly suggest making a habit of reading; reading teaches us new ideas and can help us learn to think more wisely and logically.

In fact, you can start learning to think this way right now. Before making your resolutions, think about what you are doing. A resolution is a decision to start something new or to change a part of your life. We all have problems or quirks that we need to fix. But if we have problems with our lives, we should not wait for the New Year to solve those problems. While the prospect of a new year is a good reminder to check ourselves for problems, we should always be examining ourselves for problems and correcting those problems.

Just don’t expect that carrying out resolutions will make you perfect. Benjamin Franklin tried to perfect himself (read about it in his autobiography), and he failed just as anyone else would. We will never make ourselves perfect, but that’s no excuse for not reading a book.

Jake Mokris is a home-schooled student and member of the Teen Takeover staff.