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The Spring semester has officially started. You have had a couple of weeks to settle in and now is good time to do a pulse check. Examine how the first few weeks have unfolded; have you started strong, pick up where you left off in the Fall, or do you feel overwhelmed? Whatever you are feeling, it is okay and checking in now can help steer your semester to success.

Have you had a test, written a paper, completed a group assignment? How did it go? Take this pulse check to determine if you need to study harder (or differently), get a tutor, or revise the focus of the group project.

At the beginning of each semester, we have discussed in earlier blogs, that you should write down short- and long-term goals for the semester. Use notebook or a journal to detail things that went well, areas for improvement, accomplishments and defeats for the past semester. Use these to jumpstart your goals for this semester.

This semester, take your goal setting to the next level, find ways to keep yourself accountable. Find out what motivates you and will help push you to achieve your goals. It may also be beneficial to find an Accountability Partner. An Accountability Partner will help you stay on track with your goals and remind you should you lose focus. Consider rewarding yourself for your efforts; perhaps a trip, a new gadget, or a concert. For some students the intrinsic reward is enough.

Every goal requires an action plan. Take time to plan out your goals and how you plan to achieve the goal. You will need to break down into smaller goals, so the bigger goal is more manageable. For example, your long-term goal may be to get an “A” in class, but that can seem like a daunting task. However, setting smaller goals of reading 2 chapters a week, writing one page each day a week before a paper is due, or reviewing notes each week.

Remember a goal without a plan is just an idea. Take this time to assess your progress thus far, don’t get too far into the semester before making adjustments. Find someone to be your accountability partner. Explore ways to reward yourself and to help you stay the course.

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Accountability…it sounds so serious right? Well it doesn’t have to be.  You can make setting and achieving goals fun.  Keeping yourself on track does not have to be as boring as checklist and assessments.  Well this is a challenge to try something new and achieve your goals for the semester.  Try something outside the box to highlight the short term goals you have for yourself throughout the semester.  Allow your goals to go beyond just achieving an “A” in your classes.  Allow your goals to push you beyond just the grade book.  Focus on ways to improve your social, physical, mental, emotional, and financial health.  Create a goal in each area and really try to find ways you can set expectations, conquer fears, and learn something new about yourself.  Here are a few out of the box ideas on ways you can set goals and hold yourself accountable.

  1. Give yourself a reward.  A little bigger than a piece of cake, but smaller than a new car.  Think of something that you want that will be a motivating factor to help you focus and achieve your goal. Providing one large reward at the end or smaller milestone rewards will help keep you motivated to push toward the goal.
  2. Journal it.  Keep a daily/weekly reminder of your goals and what you are doing to achieve them. Constant reminders and progress assessments will keep you pushing.
  3. Find a partner.  There is nothing like having someone to encourage you along the way.  Find someone      that will positively support your goals.  You want someone that will not be a pushover and allow you to blow off your goals. You also want do not want someone that will push you so hard that the goal seems unattainable.  Lastly, you want someone that believes in what you are trying to achieve.  Sadly, your accountability partner may not be your best friend, or even a family member.  It could be a classmate, your roommate, or a coworker.
  4. Write a letter to your future self.  Describe your goals and the obstacles you had to overcome in order to make it to the end of the semester.  Tell yourself how proud you are and how you are so much better and stronger for sticking it out.  At the end of the semester, open the sealed letter and read what you “accomplished”.
  5. Vblog or keep a photo timeline of your progress.  Express yourself on YouTube or create a picture story of your journey.  Those two minutes could be the inspiration to help someone achieve their goals.  Knowing that you have an “audience” to report to will help keep you focused.

Goal setting is an important start to each semester.  Take time to find fun ways to keep you engaged to reach the end result.  An old-fashioned checklist works just as well, but finding new ways to hold yourself accountable allows you some flexibility on the journey.