Finals are over, the whirlwind that was fall semester is behind me, and I can’t help but look fondly back onto the concluding week of the term. I have always been a fairly proficient multitasker, so when my list of responsibilities gets scaled down to a single item: studying for one test each day, it’s like a wave of relief and calm washes over me. There’s no feeling better than having an attainable goal each day that you know you can fulfill. Goal setting is actually a very important pillar of my philosophy for a successful life.
Let’s talk about SMART goals, aka the absolute best way to set goals. If you know what they are, great. If you don’t, you should, so check this out.
S=Specific: Be exact in setting your goal. “Be Healthy” isn’t a very specific goal; “lose weight” is a little better.
M=Measureable: Add some sort of number to your goal so you know when you're done with it. “Lose weight” could keep you going until you weigh zero pounds. Avoid rookie mistakes like this and set a goal like “Lose 5 lbs”.
A=Attainable: While shooting for the stars is great for trying new things, there really is only so much you are capable of, and in some cases it’s better to avoid getting discouraged for being unable to attain an unattainable goal.
R=Relevant: Set a goal that actually applies to you.
T=Timebound: As well as giving yourself a specific number value on the goal itself, give a time limit. This helps to combat procrastination by getting the task done as soon as possible.
This semester I was lucky enough to only have one final per day, so I was able to set one SMART goal per day. In fact, ever day was the same goal, with a different subject: “Review all of the homework and past tests for [insert subject here] before the exam today”. This is the method I have always used and it has never failed me yet. True, one final exam per day isn’t necessarily the situation all of my peers were in. I’m sure someone was feeling overwhelmed with two or more finals in one day. That doesn’t change anything: this method still applies; some parts of it just need to be changed. The goal should start earlier, say two or three days before the tests, and you should be fine.
It should be noted that this goal depends entirely upon a semester spent studying and doing homework. If you try to whip out this goal and succeed after spending the semester slacking off, you're screwed, to put it lightly. This goal is not designed for one to learn an entire semester’s worth of material in one day. Relaxing during finals week is a privilege that comes as a result of hard work before. Of course, you can use these SMART goals every week of the semester itself to finish homework, study for tests, and read the material. Everyone has excuses why they can’t do their schoolwork, and I haven’t heard a good one yet.
Lastly, and possibly most importantly, attitude is what makes this work. I tell myself that I like finals week, and then I enjoy it a little more. I start to enjoy reading back through my notes. I begin to love redoing homework examples. I have a blast reading through the book. And when the week is done, I am overjoyed with the grade I get in the class.
