Start Strong

New beginnings like the start of a new school term can be exciting and energizing. You’re only a few weeks into the term so you probably haven’t turned in any major assignments yet. You have a clean slate and plenty of room to work with. You are taking interesting new classes and have different challenges to work toward than you did last term.

New beginnings can also be intimidating and frightening. That clean slate is going to require a lot of work to fill and the effort to do so might feel beyond you. Too many new challenges at the same time can be overwhelming and make you feel like you aren’t up to the challenge. If you are feeling nervous about getting through the next couple of months and turning this new beginning into a happy ending, take a deep breath and keep reading.

If you start with a bang, you won't end with a whimper. ~ T.S. Eliot

Getting off to a strong start in your classes will make the rest of the term so much easier. Nobody wants to play catch up or beg the professor for extra credit in the last couple of weeks of the class. The beginning of the term is a great time to go all in and be an over-achiever. You have more energy now than you likely will at any other point in the term – use it to do a spectacular job on the first few assignments for your classes. You will build a strong foundation for your grade and you will develop a great reputation as a smart, hard-working student with your professors. If you do need help later, that reputation will be a life saver.

If you align expectations with reality, you will never be disappointed ~ Terrell Owens

New beginnings can lead us to make audacious goals for ourselves. While challenging goals are energizing and inspiring, goals which are too difficult usually lead to frustration and failure rather than accomplishment and satisfaction. Yes, you should start off the term with a bang, but setting realistic expectations for yourself will prevent that bang from backfiring.

It would be ideal to get an A in each of your classes this term! Is that a realistic expectation or would setting that goal be setting yourself up for disappointment? It would be amazing to get to the fitness center 5 days a week! Will you honestly have time to make that happen or would setting that expectation lead you to feeling guilty and beating yourself up when you got too busy?

Set your expectations high enough that they feel like a stretch, but not so high that you have to build a ladder to get there.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. ~ Lewis Carroll

The uncertainty involved in new beginnings can make it hard to see that path forward. There are so many ways to go about tackling a big new project. If you are feeling paralyzed by the options or frozen by competing priorities, start by defining where you are you going.

Envisioning your future in the clearest terms possible will clarify your goals and give you direction. What is your end goal? What does it look like, feel like, sound like? Where are you and who is there with you? A clear vision will help you to stay motivated and to focus your energy on the right road.

What is the most important thing you want to accomplish this term? What is the second most important thing? Once you know where you are going, you can choose a path which will get you there instead of working in circles.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step. ~ Lao Tzu

Along any path worth traveling there’s a lot of ground to be covered. There are going to be a lot of tasks you need to complete and a lot of steps you need to take to get from here to the end of the term. Laying those steps out in order of importance and in order of urgency can help you to prioritize and to stay organized.

When you know exactly what you need to do next, it’s easier to get started and to keep going. Plan your journey and then take the first step. Before you know it May will be here, the term will be over, and you will have your happy ending.