New Year’s resolutions are made with the best of intentions. But college students should consider resolutions that will increase the GPA, allow for more sleep, and lessen distractions. Developing a set of New Year’s resolutions for the spring semester and keeping them will guarantee a better finish to the school year.
Sample Ideas for Student New Year’s Resolutions
- Getting enough sleep. Sleep deprivation affects class attendance, especially early morning classes, and will affect performance on assignments. Late night cramming is actually detrimental.
- Avoiding the parties. College parties, whether in the dorm or a frat house, usually involve alcohol. In the early hours of November 15, 2010, police raided a party at Wake Forest University and cited 80 students for drinking. Why jeopardize an unblemished student record?
- Starting early on crucial assignments. Most students wait until the last minute to complete papers and projects and pay for it with a low grade. Resolve to begin early on any assignments.
- Getting to class on time. Most professors despise tardiness. Students that arrive late distract the class and interrupt the lecture. Why get on the bad side of a professor, especially if your final grade might be within decimal points of an A or a B?
- Balancing your time. Divide the semester into units that include school work and assignment deadlines, leisure, and breaks. Don’t get stuck using a break to complete a paper or book assignment, unless your professor assigns the work before the break because he or she doesn’t have a life and doesn’t think that you do.
Sticking to New Year’s Resolutions
If you fail to keep a resolution, don’t give up. Chalk it up to weakness and renew the resolution with greater vigor. The worst thing that can happen if you fail is to throw in the towel and go back to old ways. Think of failure as a test and as a way to surmount an obstacle.
Getting a close, trusted friend or roommate involved is a plus. These people tend to be more openly critical and won’t hesitate to point out potential pitfalls. If you solicit help from a friend, make sure they know that you are serious and will absolve them when they attempt to correct you.
Build in a system of rewards. This idea of a “token economy,” taken from Psych 101, is a behavioral modification technique, and it works. Set a brief list of short-term and long-term goals tied to your resolutions. Reward yourself after reaching each goal. Rewards, however, should not circumvent the resolutions. A “night on the town” involving copious mugs of beer is not a reward.
Deciding What is Really Important in College
Student New Year’s resolutions should point to college success. Every student should make resolutions, even the “A” students. Gearing resolutions toward improved GPAs points to college success and graduation. Sticking to the resolutions depends upon how realistic they are and the willingness to follow them throughout the semester.
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