Making Goals for a New Academic Year

The start of the new academic year is, to some people, more important than the start of a new calendar year. For me, it’s the new routine; the new timetable; the new classes; the opportunity to completely start anew; and, of course, the new stationery sets. Though some of these things are often found on your typical new year’s resolution list, how truly possible is it to start a total fresh at this age when we’ll be returning to the same curriculum and set of subjects after the Christmas break?

As I start my fourth year as a university student, I thought it was time to take my academic new year goals just as seriously as I do my New Year’s Eve ones. So, this academic year I will strive to – 

Treat every Uni day as a 9-5 day.

I’m guilty of slipping into a habit of turning up for afternoon lectures and then going home and forgetting about the class. Every day in University is an opportunity to learn something new, and if I can find the motivation to work a 9-5 day in my office then why can’t I find the same motivation to sit in the library for a couple of extra hours after every class to consolidate the knowledge I’ve taken away from it. 

Try not to burnout whilst completing resolution number 1. 

Looking after yourself following a week of 9-5 (and later in the evening) study can take a huge toll on a student’s mental health and wellbeing – especially during the pandemic; having a confusing work-life balance as we work, study and relax at home; and potential local lockdowns too. This is without the added pressures of having jobs, societies, committees, volunteering projects and a social life.

Not put too much pressure on myself.

We are living through a pandemic and still having the same expectations applied to us by Universities and other generations. I always put too much pressure on myself, take on 1,000 activities and extracurricular responsibilities, and burn out frequently. This isn’t healthy, and a student with a healthy balance is more likely to be getting the most out of their degree and truly enjoying the activities that they’re taking part in for fun. 

Work little and often – don’t leave it to the last minute.

Sometimes it’s unavoidable leaving deadlines to the last minute, but if you do have the time then working on a piece slowly but surely over a longer period of time is often the best way to complete it to a high standard. Not only will you not be overwhelmed by the last-minute workload, but with this method you will also be using the technique of repetition to ingrain that subject into your brain – which is perfect for revision or general knowledge-retaining!

Have confidence in your abilities as a student.

Many of us will understand what it is like to have anxiety or impostor syndrome. Even as I prepare my pre-reading for my Masters Degree, I am still convinced that I was never good enough to get into University in the first place. I’m hoping that by working on maintaining a higher level of wellbeing than I am used to, I will spend less time battling these intrusive thoughts and more time proving to myself why I deserve my place on this course.

Every academic year is an opportunity to thrive, to learn and to take the next step in becoming who we want to be. Whether this personal development and motivation is driven by our careers, our friends, love, or passion – we will all hopefully reach our right path and be content with it, and making a short list of goals to stick to like this is one of the best ways to start on the right productive foot for this!

 

Caitlin Parr

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