I am at my absolute best during the start of each new semester. My motivation skyrockets, my optimism is high, and generally, I’m happy! This never lasts, unfortunately, and it’s my own fault. I can pinpoint the exact week where my motivation falls and my anxiety inversely rises, and that’s when I get comfortable and stop completing assignments early. Don’t do this! Don’t be me! Sustain your happiness and set time goals for success. Things that have helped me include:
- Setting reminders for all important events (exams, quizzes, papers) as soon as the information is available to you. I usually do this at the start of each semester and update my calendar even more at the beginning of every month.
- Think about where you want to be within a specific time frame. Actively make progress towards your goals by knowing where you want to be and how to get there. Want to find a new job? Set a date for this to be completed, and set smaller time frames (job search, interview) within that period to progress towards it. This will both help you see yourself accomplishing tasks and prevent you from stalling out and staying stagnant.
Life is a journey, and it’ll take time to get where you want to go. But you’ll get there, and so will I!