As we close out 2024 and head into 2025, it’s time for some serious decluttering—not just of our closets, but of the habits, trends, and behaviors that need to stay in the past. So grab your metaphorical trash bags, and let’s get to it! Here are 5 things we need to leave behind as we step into the new year.
1. “I’ll Start My Diet Tomorrow”
We all know the drill: every Monday, every new month, every “just after the holidays”—we promise ourselves we’ll start eating healthy tomorrow. But tomorrow is a magical land where all the cookies and chips mysteriously disappear. Let’s be real. Instead of perpetuating this cycle, let’s just embrace our love for food and stop pretending we’ll suddenly become kale enthusiasts in the new year. Here’s to living our best lives—bacon and all!
2. Cryptic texts that don’t get answered
You know what we’re talking about: that message that says, “We need to talk” but never follows up. You sit there, staring at your phone, wondering if you should be worried, concerned, or possibly calling in a psychic to decipher its meaning. In 2025, let’s retire this dramatic, vague texting behavior. If we’re going to send a message, let’s be clear and, for the love of all that’s holy, just say what we need to say!
3. Bonnets in public
Yes, we are still having this debate. We all love a good bonnet moment at home—it’s cozy, it’s protective, and honestly, it’s a fashion statement when you’re trying to maintain your curls or keep your hair intact. But let’s leave wearing bonnets in public in 2024, shall we? Look, we get it—sometimes you just don’t have the energy to do your hair. But walking around the grocery store like you’re about to audition for a role in The Color Purple 3 is just a vibe we can leave behind. Let’s keep bonnets reserved for bedtime, self-care Sundays, or when you’re running to the mailbox at 6 a.m. to avoid seeing anyone. Public spaces are for public-ready outfits, and the only thing we need covering our heads outside is a cute hat, not a piece of satin.
4. Cancel Culture
Sure, canceling people for things they’ve done wrong is trendy, but let’s be honest, sometimes it feels like we’re all just hitting the “cancel” button for things that could have been resolved with a conversation. In 2025, let’s work on a little something called accountability. Maybe, just maybe, instead of canceling people for a poorly-worded tweet from 2012, we could try explaining how their actions affected us—and give them a chance to evolve. It’s called maturity. Let’s try it.
5. Unfinished Highway Construction
Houston highways are like that group project nobody ever finishes—always “in progress,” but somehow worse every time you check in. I-45, we’re looking at you. Construction signs have become a permanent part of the scenery, and the orange cones have been there so long they’re practically part of the Texas ecosystem.
Let’s be real: we’ve been dodging lane closures and detours since Destiny’s Child was just starting out. There’s a whole generation of Houstonians who have never known a day without construction delays on the freeway. Some folks even joke that when Beyoncé sang “To the left, to the left,” she was giving us directions to avoid road work. In 2025, let’s leave behind the endless delays, the bumper-to-bumper backups, and the orange cone chaos. We deserve smooth roads, finished overpasses, and—dare we say it—a day where Google Maps doesn’t yell “ROAD CLOSED AHEAD” every five minutes.
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