The Princeton Review
We often talk about how to get on track with your studies and coursework, and the best way to do that is to not fall behind. Rather than play catch up, why not start off the semester right? Here are three tips to help you get off to a good start with your next semester.
Get Organized
Planning ahead pays off huge dividends. Get your class schedule and your calendar and mark the important dates – midterms, assignment deadlines, finals, etc. Add in the other important events worth noting – holidays, birthdays, sports events, extracurricular activities, etc. You need to balance your life, and poor planning will lead to poor performance or missed opportunities. When you’re organized, you’ll also know what you can do in advance of a class or assignment to stay ahead of the curve. Take advantage of your great planning to anticipate the busy times and spread out the load so it’s more manageable.
Set Goals
Goal setting is an important part of business, so you should get used to it while in school. Goals should be SMART. SMART stands for the five components of a goal: Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Time-Bound.
The act of thinking carefully about what you want to achieve and determining a clear course of action will give you a better understanding of what your goals are and how you can achieve them.
- SPECIFIC: Do you need to finish a particular task? Can you break a larger job down into smaller items? Specific goals are goals that state exactly what you want to achieve.
- MEASURABLE: How many events? How many students? What percent of revenue? Establish clear definitions to help you know if you’re reaching (or have reached) your goal. If you’re confused about how to measure your goal, you’ll be less likely to achieve it.
- ACTION-ORIENTED: What verbs are associated with your goal? Enroll, scan, visit, organize, run, staff. This is the how part of goal setting. Describe your goals using action verbs, and outline the exact steps you will take to accomplish your goal.
- REALISTIC: Can you do this in the time given? Give yourself the opportunity to succeed by setting goals you’ll be able to accomplish. Strive to reach a good middle-ground: goals set too high could discourage you, but goals set too low will fail to challenge and motivate you.
- TIME-BOUND: When will you know that you’re finished? Decide exactly when you’ll start and finish your goal. Knowing exactly how long you have to reach your goal is an excellent way to stay motivated and focused.
Sound Body, Sound Mind
Don’t underestimate the value of your health. A good night’s sleep, a healthy meal, or a vigorous workout will go far in helping you stay focused and productive. When you are run down or stressed out, your energy is spent coping with your poor physical and mental state. You find yourself playing catch up and the theme of this piece is to not allow yourself to get in that situation in the first place. Be mindful of the balance between your body and mind, and do the things necessary to stay healthy and happy. Don’t forget to organize your workouts and physical activities. You can also set goals for your well-being specific to diet and exercise. These simple steps in advance of your upcoming semester will make your life easier, your time more productive, and your results stronger as you close out the school year.