“Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.”
~ Pablo Picasso
Sound goals go a long way in making the most of your college years. The goals you set for an academic year, for the semester, or for a project assigned yield maximum results only if they are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-Bound).
Here are some of the questions that can help you set SMART goals for college life:
- What do you want to achieve and why?
- Define two or more indicators by which you can measure how you are progressing towards your goal at any given time.
- Is your goal practical and realistic? Do you have the skills, knowledge, resources, and abilities that can help you accomplish the goal?
- What is the purpose of the goal? What will be the end-result?
- By when do you want to achieve the goal? Does the goal achievement date near enough to create a sense of urgency without overburdening you with stress and pressure?
Setting SMART Goals is just the first step of your success journey. Below, you’ll find the Top 10 tips from the brightest academicians of India on how to achieve your college goals easily:
Ask for help:
Whenever you are in doubt, do not hesitate in seeking help from your professors. It is better to seek help immediately so that you do not fall behind or feel lost.
Create a professional network:
This can be achieved through various clubs and social gatherings in the college. Internships are provided by the college for the student. Try enrolling yourselves into them and complete internships with utmost sincerity as they help you create a healthy professional network.
Manage your time:
Time and tide wait for none, once gone are gone forever. Stop procrastinating and start working from today itself. Divide the work and set a specific time for each work. This not only saves time but also helps you in completing the task with more efficiency and perfection.
Optimum usage of resources:
Every college these days provides ample of resources for their students like libraries, computer labs, health and counseling center, tutorial center, etc. Make the most out of it. If you don’t, it would be completely your fault.
Set goals you have control over:
Nothing could be worse than failing to achieve a personal goal for reasons beyond your control.
Stay connected:
Make sure to create your student account. This is how the college can notify you of important information. Whenever you are in doubt, you can easily contact the authorities through it and even catch up if you miss any class.
The stressful life of college can deteriorate your mental and physical health directly affecting your college life. Make sure you get enough sleep and healthy food. Regular physical exercise and meditation are also crucial to good health.
Take right decisions:
College life is the prime time when you make most important decisions of your life. Clarity of vision is very important. Know what you are doing and why and what good it serves you.
Visit career services center:
Colleges these days provide career services centers for the students in the university. Even if you are in the first year, try gathering some important knowledge regarding your career options. By the time you reach closer to graduation, consider scheduling more frequent appointments.
Work on extra challenging goals:
You can look for other courses that interest you other than your academics. They might be tougher and extra challenging but you learn to come out of your comfort zone. Once you do it, you will definitely notice the difference.
Got your own tips on how to set smart goals in college and achieve them too? Drop us a comment below.
Author Bio
Nishant Sinha is the co-founder of Transtutors.com, an Online Assignment Help platform for students of Graduation and Post-Graduation level. He believes that brightest of students need help at times and that academic excellence begets thirst for more knowledge. You can contact him through his LinkedIn or Facebook profiles.
