How Interested Is Florida In New Year’s Resolutions?
You know the drill. Within the next two weeks many people will begin to think about what they want to do differently in 2024. However, at the start of 2023, U.S. News and World Report detailed that most Florida residents are not incredibly interested in New Year’s resolutions.
This information was determined by examining Google search trends. Specifically, the data between December 25 and January 7 detailed the level of interest people had in resolutions by state. “Some of the most common New Year’s resolutions from Dec. 25 to Jan. 7 were related to health, career goals, and various hobbies,” they said.
Florida Ranked 40 out of the 50 states
What exactly does this mean? Well, for perspective, Rhode Islanders were most interested in pursuing New Year’s resolutions. Based on the Google trends and data, this U.S. News and World Report essentially created a stack ranking. Florida was 40th. This was consistent with much of the southeast region, as each state typically ranked between 20-40.
As you would expect, money habits, health (diet and food), and exercise related resolutions were among those mostly searched.
How About For 2024?
It’s too early to tell if Florida will still rank in the bottom ten states interested in researching New Year’s resolutions again at the conclusion of this year. Regardless, Health News has already detailed what the most popular resolutions for 2024 will be. The results are hardly surprising.
“In 2024, Americans plan to focus on exercising more, eating better, organizing their finances, and overall well-being,” Health News states. What is very interesting here is the percentage of Americans that are focused on each area based on the general measurement. For example, 59% of people would like to focus more on money, while 40% want to increase the amount of time they spend with family and friends.
2 Florida Skateparks Recognized As Best In The Country
What makes a great skatepark? Essential requirements revolve around safety conditions, open space, and overall atmosphere. In Florida, two skateparks were recently listed among the best in the country.
In SkateboardHQ’s feature, “13 Skateparks in the U.S. You Need To Visit,” they take you on a tour through some of the greatest bowls in the continental United States. From the Northwest corner of Oregon to the Southeast corner of Florida, this list rolls through a lot of ground.
“You’ll find some of the most epic street courses alongside iconic locations and facilities designed for skaters and by skaters, including the largest full-concrete pipe and one of the oldest-running skateparks in America,” SkateboardHQ expxlains.
The largest full-concrete pipe they mention belongs to Lake Cunningham Regional Sports Park, in San Jose, CA. At 68,000-square-feet, it’s the largest skatepark in California. As for the “oldest,” we’ll get to that shortly.
Skatepark Culture
Whether they are built into the recreational facilities of a suburban town, or between buildings on city streets, skateparks can serve a great purpose. Under safe conditions, such parks provide a place for youth and skate enthusiasts alike to support each other while they work on their craft. There is a true artistic and creative component to skateboarding. Furthermore, the sport takes a great deal of discipline. To master a trick (or even to get a feel for riding) you have to go through rounds of repetition. Often, you fall, get up, try again, and then fall again.
Skateboarding is an activity that also can have very little cost affiliated with it. After the price of a board and the necessary safety equipment (such as a helmet and padding), most community parks are free admission.
There are some great organizations (mostly West Coast-based) that thrive off building and restoring skateparks in various communities. Evergreen based out of Portland, focuses on structuring parks for all skill levels. Montana Pool Service, a non-profit organization, aims to connect youth communities with their generous work installing parks across the country.
So let’s grab a board and take stroll through the two Florida skateparks that were named among the best in the country.
Jeff Gorra is a Boston-based writer who has been with Beasley Media Group since the beginning of 2023. He writes about restaurants and food, as well as sports and rock music. His experience also includes show hosting and in-depth creative writing in rock and reggae dub music. Jeff’s an avid surfer, New York Giants, and Pearl Jam fan, however, if you make unforgettable pizza, he is sure to find you.
