Student Resolve

With the New Year just around the corner folks are beginning to consider changes they might like to make in their lives for 2011. While the usual quit smoking and drink less resolutions are still a high priority for those who continue to imbibe, the student psyche is a little bit different and so are change priorities. Student resolutions often involve academics for obvious reasons. They might be to study harder, start projects sooner or seek extra help. Or, they might be along the lines of partying less, dating more, gaining acceptance somewhere; whatever the resolution, the hardest part about resolutions is keeping them, so we have advice to help make the changes stick.

Make resolutions of realistic goals with results that can be measured in metered doses. In other words, set small achievable goals rather than something massive. For example instead of resolving to increase your grade point average by two whole points, resolve instead to get a 5% better grade in your two hardest subjects.  It is better to have small successes over a period than it is to strive for something too big.

Don’t wait until you feel motivated to begin, it might never happen. Rather, take action toward the goal even if you don’t feel like it. You will find that inspiration is more likely to follow action than the reverse and that will lead to further momentum.

Set goals that you know how to achieve. There is no point in deciding to increase a grade by 5% if you have no idea how that will occur. If you think you might be able to create better syntax in your next term paper and perhaps add more detail to a research project then great, that is how you will achieve your goal. If you can’t work it out then resolve something else, the most important thing about making resolutions is that you set yourself up for success.