The real new year may be in January but, to me, a new school year is the freshest beginning. It is the chance to rediscover yourself, try new things meet new people and reinvent your academic habits.
This is why it is important that you make the most of this fresh start. Now is the time to set your goals, establish your boundaries and organize your schedule. You don’t have to be the same person or student you were last year. Setting yourself up for success early will greatly benefit you as you make your way through the school year.
To start, set your goals for the new school year. Writing a list is a good way to go, as putting pen to paper will allow you to conceptualize your goals. Have you been really wanting to try a sport, but have been too scared? Write it down as a goal for the year! Do you want to join a club, make new friends or get a 10-GPA or above in your courses? Write down the goals that you have for yourself and keep this list handy. Do note, this isn’t a to-do list, this is a goals list, it is OK if they take time. Your goals may take time and dedication or stepping outside of your comfort zone, but they are achievable if you believe in yourself (and put in a little work, too). Â
Secondly, establish your boundaries. It is OK if you didn’t have these boundaries in the past—reflecting on what worked and what didn’t work is one of the first steps to improvement. Perhaps you feel that you need to separate yourself from a few people who drain your energy and time. Maybe you want to make more time for studying and less for socializing or, on the other hand, you want to put a little less overzealous perfection into your schoolwork and make more time for yourself. Whatever it may be, establish these boundaries for the upcoming year. If your family, friends, classmates or colleagues don’t respect these boundaries then they have some personal self-improvements to make. Establishing boundaries is important for your personal success, mental health, and wellbeing.Â
Finally, organizing your schedule for the year is one of the most important gateways to success. Decide how you want to keep track of assignments, presentations, tests and deadlines. Do you prefer Google Calendar, or a physical calendar book? Are you going to create a task sheet in order of your deadlines? How are you keeping track of club meetings and events, your intramural game, your work shift and important Laurier events? Organizing all this information as soon as you can is extremely important and it will help you better organize your personal time too. It is important to make changes, recognizing what works and what doesn’t, as you move throughout the school year. Evaluate and reflect on your September organization skills; how can you improve for the remainder of the term?Â
Setting your goals, establishing boundaries and organizing your schedule AEAP (as early as possible!) are important to your ultimate personal and academic success. As a seasoned university student knows, the assignments, tests, and extracurriculars don’t wait. The school year flies by and soon enough you are head-first in it all, and that may mean you are feeling comfortable or way behind. Following these steps to success will allow you to accomplish your goals, make time for yourself and have fun!