When ringing in the New Year, many people aspire to better themselves in some fashion. A popular resolution is to “kick the butt,” or quit smoking.

For those who are trying to break their habit, Eastern’s Student Health Service and its subdepartment, the Health Education department, are offering the “Freedom From Smoking” program, beginning Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. with an orientation in the Health Education Resource Center.

Eric Davidson, assistant director of Health Education and Promotion, said that the orientation will cover what the program holds for future quitters.

“In the orientation, we want to establish the quitter’s motivation,” he said.

Davidson said that smokers will have to ask themselves if they really want to quit for themselves or for other people.

“People have to want to quit for themselves, not for anyone else,” he said.

Seven sessions follow the orientation at the same time and place.

In the first couple of classes, participants will look at their individual habits and develop plans to quit, Davidson said.

“In the third or fourth session, participants will actually set the date when they will quit in the future,” he said.

“We’re not expecting everyone to quit right after orientation.”

After the date is set, Davidson said that the final sessions will be like a “support group,” where members will discuss their drastic lifestyle changes.

“We will deal with the recovering process together,” he said.

Davidson said that the participant’s motivation is the key to a successful habit-breaking process.

“The student who attends all eight of the sessions and completes the tasks within the sessions tends to have more success than those who miss two or three sessions,” he said.

Those who are interested in this free program should sign up before 4:30 p.m. Wednesday by calling Nicole at 581-7786, said Davidson.

A second session of classes will be held later in the semester for those who cannot attend the first session dates.

“We’ve had pretty good success in the past (with this program),” Davidson said. “We want to help those who are really motivated kick their habit.”