Reinventing Learning in Our Community
After winter break, jumping back into the swing of school can be challenging. Whether it's re-perfecting a sleep schedule or finding time to fit in homework, this time of the year can be particularly stressful. With the next real "break" being over two months away, it can begin to feel like the school year is dragging along. Students are constantly counting down the minutes to the end of the school day or the weekend and looking ahead to the long-awaited snow day.
These students need a little boost, and-- if carried out properly-- a New Year's resolution can help a student propel themselves through the rest of the school year. With upcoming deadlines, final exams, and heavy course loads, it is imperative for each student to stay motivated in a way that makes their learning excel.
There is an endless variety of goals a student could manifest for themselves. Still, for one who may not be able to formulate any ideas, there are some general goals that can boost a student's learning and productivity.
Academic goals could include increasing one's grade in a class, studying more frequently, or becoming more organized. Other goals could pertain to improvement in a sports performance, or relate to fine arts goals such as art, chorus, or band. A third category could pertain to personal life, whether spending more time with family, finding time for a hobby, or establishing a more consistent sleep schedule.
Steps to Create a Successful New Year's Resolution
According to "Action for Happiness," a global charity movement working to increase happiness worldwide, there are a few basic steps to creating a New Year's resolution.
First, brainstorm and decide on something that you desire to achieve. This can fall under various categories, from school, home-life, sports, and beyond.
Next, it is vital to write your goal down; as you do this, carefully make the goal more specific. Include a time frame in which you wish to achieve your goal, as well as make sure that the goal is easily measurable so that you can track your progress. For example, instead of saying, "I want to get better at math," a more achievable goal would be, "I want to increase my math grade to at least a 95% by the end of March." Making the goal more specific will make it easier to remain motivated.
Additionally, it is beneficial to tell someone about your goals. Whether it's a friend, a parent, or someone else, this will serve an accountability purpose and push you to stick with your goal.
A tool that can be especially helpful for larger goals is to break it down into smaller checkpoints. This will help you to continually feel accomplished, encouraging you to continue working towards your goal. The previous example, for instance, can be broken down by saying, "I hope to score an A on the next math quiz." These small goals should all support and ultimately build up to the larger goal, but break it down to make each part more quickly and easily achievable.
Next, it is important to choose where you are going to start. Planning your first step is crucial because it is the move that propels you forward and eventually helps you achieve your goal. For example, you could plan to study math for thirty minutes three days a week until the end of January. Then, you can assess the results of that technique and adjust from there, maybe deciding to increase studying to four days a week for February.
Lastly, the most critical step is to follow through. Most people don't continue their plans to achieve their goals. In fact, Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business states that, statistically, only about 9% of Americans actually achieve their New Year's resolutions.
Setting goals can be beneficial in the various aspects of a high school student's life, helping them stay motivated to become the best versions of themselves possible. Just by following these simple steps, any student could begin to fulfill their biggest aspirations, and the new year is the perfect time to start!
