BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) – We get the name January from Janus, the ancient Roman god of beginnings, transitions and endings. Janus looks both forward and backward – and so too do we as we transition from one year to the next.

What changes do we in Bakersfield see as we step away from 2025 and into 2026? We dispatched a reporter to try to find out.

The calendar’s flipping over to 2026 and for a lot of people that means new opportunity, new challenges, new expectations and optimism pretty much across the board.

Take eighth grader Elijah Dorado, who has promised himself to get serious about school.

“I really want to focus more on school,” he said. “Keep my grades up. I want to be a paramedic. I want 2026 to be a challenge, but build more growth.”

Elea Kretzschmar is studying to be a grade school teacher but her word of the year has four syllables.

“I got a planner for Christmas and on the front page of the planner it says, ‘What is your word for the year?’,” she said. “So my word for the year is ‘consistency,’ I feel like a lot of good is going to come from being consistent.”

Celeste Rodriguez is also thinking about a career. She is hoping to land a county job. Her top attribute?

“I’m a really fast learner,” she said.

Jim Noward, visiting from Ohio, is hoping to see the national political scene calm down a little.

“I’m optimistic,” he said. “I’m a conservative, not necessarily fully Republican, but I’m very conservative and I’m hoping that things improve. I think we’re on the right – getting on the right track. There’s a lot of problems to be solved. Hopefully they pull together. And that’d be nice for a change.”

Oh, and about that Ohio State football game.

“And I hope the Buckeyes win,” he said, laughing.

Sue Layman is worried we’re in for a tumultuous year.

“Unfortunately I see a lot of conflict,” she said. “I was around in the late 60s, early 70s, and some of the stuff we’ve seen this year makes that seem like a Sunday School picnic. I’m just praying that somehow we’re going to make it through.”

Rubie Rypkema is intent on controlling the things she can control – like her family’s eating habits.

“I just want to make more food from home,” she said. “I mean, knowing what’s going into my food matters a lot to me, with my family.”

Jeff Eagan is on the same wavelength. Slow and steady. Keep it simple.

“Don’t stay in the past, move forward,” he said. “Keep trotting on.”

His 8-year-old son Seamus will keep him busy, though. Big plans next year, Seamus?

“Kinda,” the boy said. “I’m going to fight my dad.”

Play fight, right? Yes.

Good luck, dad. It might be a long year.

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