Boosting Student Success in 2024: Setting Goals for a New Year
The start of a new year means setting goals and making resolutions that support positive change. Students can benefit from taking this opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months and decide what they want to do differently moving forward. Having a clear plan in place with actionable steps can make it easier to get started.
Here are a few ideas for a more productive year:
Create a Vision Board
Cut out or create images of things you want to achieve. This can include pictures, symbols, or phrases that motivate you to reach for your goals such as:
· A mascot for the college you want to attend
· A favorite quote
· A reminder that you are brave or smart
· A picture of books if you want to read more
· A new activity or hobby you want to try
· A visual to encourage you to improve your grades
Be creative and fill your board with things that are meaningful to you and remind you of what the future can hold if you put forth the effort.
Set Realistic Goals
While your vision board may include grand plans, don’t forget to set smaller, shorter-term goals as well. Think about areas where you may struggle or know you can do better. Maybe you want to stop procrastinating tasks and are going to create a daily to-do list. Perhaps you want to pack your backpack and lunch the night before, so you have more time in the mornings and know you have everything you need for the day. Or maybe you want to pull up your math grade, so you decide to spend more time reviewing your notes and studying for exams.
Remember that these goals don’t have to be reached by the end of January. It may take you more time to get in a groove and find what works for you to help you meet those targets.
Plan Ahead
Be proactive and think about what the next few months hold. Are you planning on taking the SAT or ACT over the summer or in the fall? Now is a great time to start preparing so you can feel more confident and not be rushed. Do you want to take an AP course or advanced class next year? See if there are certain grades you need to achieve in your current classes to be eligible. Are you required to fulfill community service hours? Think about different organizations you could work with that would be meaningful to you while helping others.
Make Small Changes
You don’t have to do a complete overhaul of your schedule or routines come January 1. Go slowly and think about one thing you could do differently each week or every two weeks. This might mean cleaning and organizing your study space every Sunday or checking your grades every Friday to see if you have missing work. Start going to bed or waking up earlier so you don’t feel as tired or rushed. Try using a new note-taking technique or study strategy and see what impact it makes.
Ask for Help
Recognize that you don’t have to do everything on your own. It’s okay to ask for help and work with others. Speak up in class if there is something that you don’t understand; there are probably others with the same question. Form a study group or find someone you can rely on to compare notes. Stay after school to go over project requirements so you know exactly what is expected.
Tutoring can also be advantageous for not only catching up if you’re falling behind but also staying on track or getting ahead. You can work on a variety of skills to help you be more successful and maximize your potential. Contact Crafting Scholars to learn more about available services and reserve your spot!
