Meet your New Year’s resolutions in Boston

Looking to meet your New Year’s resolution in Boston? From making new friends to lending a helping hand, check out our local resolution recommendations.

Read more books

• Brattle Book Shop | Keep an eye out for the large pencil above the sign at one of America’s oldest bookshops and browse three floors of used + rare books.
• Beacon Hill Books & Cafe | The multi-story bookstore in Beacon Hill has it all — visit the cafe after book browsing to sip tea and start your new read.
• Papercuts Bookshop | Shop the woman-owned, Jamaica Plain bookstore for a curated selection of fiction and nonfiction titles.
• East End Books | The Provincetown-based bookstore has a Seaport location that’s perfect for cozy winter shopping.
• Frugal Bookstore | The Black-owned community bookstore has been a literary oasis in Roxbury for 15+ years, offering books for all readers.
• Brookline Booksmith | Head over to Coolidge Corner to see the recent expansion at the two-floor, independent bookstore.

Feeling extra committed? Check out our list of books by local authors to add to your to-be-read pile.

Meet new people

• Volo Sports | The Boston chapter of the Baltimore-based company has co-ed leagues for kickball, volleyball, and basically every sport you can think of.
• Girlfriends Boston | If you missed our Beacon Hill day with this group for meeting new girlfriends, be sure to follow the Facebook and Instagram pages to stay in the know.
• Boston Outdoor Adventures | This Meetup group has 17,000+ members who plan hiking, skiing, biking, and snowboarding excursions.
• Brunchclub Boston | Join to meet a new brunch buddy or two. Pro tip: Impress with your foodie knowledge by consulting our brunch guide.

Learn a new hobby

• PKL | The South Boston indoor pickleball court hosts leagues, trivia, beginner’s mixers + more events for experience picklers and newbies alike.
• Cambridge Center for Adult Education | The Harvard Square center offers cooking, performance arts + business classes.
• Improv Asylum classes | Take a beginner’s improv class at the Asylum CoLab in Faneuil Hall — read about our experience at this fun + friendly class.

Watch local theater

• Emerson Colonial Theatre | We spy “Swan Lake” coming in February 2025 and “Rogers & Hammerstein’s Carousel” in April 2025.
• American Repertory Theater | “The Odyssey” is coming to the Loeb Drama Center stage from Feb. 9-March 16, 2025.
• Footlight Club | America’s oldest community theater is putting on “Yellow Face,” a play by David Henry Hwang, from Feb. 8-Feb. 22, 2025.

Shop sustainable

• Uvida | Visit this zero-waste shop for personal products and household goods.
• Cleenland | Browse an array of refillable supplies like shampoo, dish soap, and produce bags.

Feeling extra committed? Check out our curated guide to 12 thrift and vintage shops.

Volunteer

• Animal Rescue League of Boston | The South End animal shelter is always seeking individual or group volunteers and foster parents.
• Boys and Girls Club of Boston | Volunteer areas at the after-school program include administrative support, child care, theater, and athletics.
• The Greater Boston Food Bank | Help end hunger in Eastern Massachusetts with a food sorting shift at the local food bank.
• Rosie’s Place | The first women’s shelter in the country, Rosie’s Place has flexible shifts for volunteers to lead art workshops, teach literacy classes, or prepare meals.
• Emerald Necklace Conservancy | Join the email list for invitations to volunteer programs, cleanups, and planting projects, or help keep the Emerald Necklace parks clean on your own time with a DIY cleanup kit.

Feeling extra committed? Check out our roundup of other ways to volunteer around Boston.