'New Year, New Goals': Treating September Like an Actual Fresh Start

January 1st isn’t the only fresh start on the calendar. For students, teachers, and honestly most parents, September functions as its own New Year — a real reset with its own goals, its own routines, and its own version of a resolution. “New Year, New Goals” is built entirely around taking that idea seriously.

A doodle-style graphic with a clear point of view

The design leans into loose, hand-drawn doodle art rather than clean retro type or soft illustration, giving it a scrappy, personal feel — closer to something scribbled in the margin of a new notebook than a polished poster. That style choice fits the message: this is a private, personal goal-setting moment, not a big public announcement.

How it fits alongside the collection’s other “fresh start” design

New Beginnings Start in the Classroom makes a similar point with warmer, more hand-drawn sincerity. “New Year, New Goals” gets there from a different angle — treating the school year explicitly like a calendar reset, goals and all, rather than just a symbolic beginning. Between the two, It’s a Good Day to Learn and Learn Today, Lead Tomorrow, the collection now covers grump, sincerity, retro confidence, and doodled ambition — most of the ways people actually feel about September.

Who it’s for

Students setting real goals for the year (better grades, a new sport, an actual sleep schedule), teachers who like a fresh-start mentality as much as their students do, and anyone who treats “new school year” with the same seriousness other people reserve for January 1st.

Shop the design

Find “New Year, New Goals” in the Back to School collection, or check the back-to-school gift ideas guide for more options across the full range of moods.