(Photo by: Miranda Sue Philpot)

New Year’s is right around the corner. With that in mind, it’s time to begin thinking about New Year’s resolutions. Artist Amy Kligman organized The Salon for Possible Futures, an interactive gallery space and community gathering location, which will be holding a Collective Imagining Circle in the Nerman Museum’s Oppenheimer New Media Gallery on Dec. 13, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

“The main purpose of the event, given that a new year is around the corner, is to bring people together to discuss value and mission-centric personal goals for 2026,” Community Relations Manager Mary Anne Matos said.

This event, according to Matos, can help build communities and foster connections.

“A Collective Imagining Circle is a gathering of various people coming together to discuss and ideate around a specific topic. Collective Imagining Circles can be held for different topics. We hosted two other circles earlier this year about community care networks and [finding] joy in chaos.”

With this event right around the corner, students Jack Fortner, Diego Robles and Campbell Cassel shared their New Year’s resolutions.

“My New Year’s resolution is to find out what I am most passionate about and figure out how I can relate it to my future,” Fortner said.

Robles’ resolution is to practice more empathy and participate in more charities and volunteer programs that make a difference in the community.

“There are a lot of crazy things going on in our world at the moment. And while I can’t control or stop any of it, I can at least lend a helping hand to those who need it.”

Cassel’s New Year’s resolution is to become consistent and try to better herself.

“I really want to prioritize things that will better my physical and mental well-being. In 2026, I want to start going to the gym consistently and get back into old hobbies I used to enjoy, like reading and crocheting,” Cassel said.

Anyone can participate in this event, but all attendees must RSVP. Matos hopes that by sharing their plans for the upcoming year and participating in the circle, students can be filled with hope and have fulfilling and purposeful goals for the future.

“We think that the Collective Imagining Circle [being] themed around the new year will help people feel confident stepping into 2026 and beyond and give them knowledge of how these circles work, should they ever want to host one of their own for their friends, family, etc,” Matos said.

Matos explained how this event is a pressure-free communal opportunity for imaginations to flow and new relationships to form. She believes that multiple perspectives will allow for different ideas that one person may not have been able to come up with on their own.

“The most meaningful part of this and other events hosted in The Salon is the community building and connection that has happened in that space. It is a joy to be able to activate this space in a way that allows people to feel comfortable creating thoughts, ideas, and art, and sharing [them] with each other,” Matos said.