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As an adult, there are probably many times in your life that you've set goals. You set professional goals and work to meet them so that you can show your boss how productive you are or to work toward that promotion. You set household goals and work as a family to complete them. You set personal goals such as losing weight or breaking bad habits. It only makes sense to set some goals for the upcoming semester. There is a process to setting goals in order to increase your chances of attaining them. This is what I suggest.
Be Specific
Goals that are too vague rarely get accomplished. For instance, if you simply state that you want to lose some weight, it's likely that you won't know exactly what to work toward. Instead, choose a number of pounds you want to lose and make a plan to do it. Same goes for school. Make your goals specific. Do you want to earn a minimum Grade Point Average? Do you intend to study so many hours each week? Keep specific things in mind when creating your goals.
Write It Down
Writing your goals down makes them more tangible; you're able to see what it is you're working toward. Commiting your goals to paper also helps you to make a plan. An action plan is necessary for successful goal setting. How will you reach that specific GPA? Write down your steps to success.
Set Time Frames
There are long term goals, and there are short term goals. It's important to be aware of both kinds and to break things down based on appropriate time frames. Consider setting semester goals, yearly goals, as well as goals for your entire college career. You'll see that the goals for each are very different. Though you may be very anxious to reach those long term goals, breaking them down allows you to see how the short term goals will eventually lead to the long term. This makes each step of the way more meaningful.
Don't Forget the Personal
Come up with some personal goals as well as academic. As you reach these personal milestones, your confidence will increase, and you'll feel more whole. Though college has become a very big part of your life now, it certainly isn't the only part. Don't neglect your personal life.
Be Realistic
We all have lofty goals every now and then. But being realistic about your goals leads to increased success and an overall better feeling about yourself. Adding college coursework to an already busy life is quite a task. Don't impose crazy expectations upon yourself and be sure to cut yourself some slack.
Take Stock
Always be sure to assess your goals on occassion. This will help you to be sure you're on track, and you'll be able to tweak things a bit if you find that you've gone off your path. You may even find that you need to change some of your goals all together, and that's okay.
These are some tips to get you started. If you get stuck, visit your academic adviser for some more suggestions. And you can always contact me at marydaviswrites(at)gmail(dot)com with specific questions. I'm happy to help!
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