We’re now in 2023, and that means that it’s time to set some new goals. Whether you want to aim high or simply improve your life marginally, this is the year to do so. However, when setting 2023 goals for college students, it can often be difficult to plan things out perfectly. College has many moving parts, so it’s crucial to go in with a strategy and some organization. Below, we have some tips to help you craft the perfect goals and stick to them.
1. Make Your 2023 Goals Specific and Attainable
Many people make the mistake of setting unattainable or vague goals. When you don’t have a specific metric to hit, it is often difficult to gauge success. Writing SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) helps with this. The easiest way to do this is to take your overall goal and narrow it down. For example, maybe you want to start working out this year. Instead of just saying, “I want to work out,” decide how often and how. This will make it more attainable in the sense that you have a new schedule. So, following this example, you could amend your goal to “I will work out three times a week at the campus gym for an hour each time.” Remember to write your goals down!
2. Divide Your Goals into Categories
The goal for most people is to have a balanced and well-rounded life. To this end, it helps to divide your goals into categories instead of placing them all in one area. For example, instead of simply focusing on losing weight or getting a scholarship/promotion, it helps to spread your efforts. By focusing on areas like academic, professional, personal, work, and health (and more!), you can improve in various aspects and not feel so much pressure in one specific area.
Once you’ve figured out the categories, write down your goal for each category. Once more, by having something on paper, you are more likely to achieve it. Constantly seeing it will remind you of what you are working for and why. It also helps to color code and make it look attractive. This will help you to associate “life goals” with pink or “health goals” with blue, etc. By doing this, you’ll associate the colors and goals more in your daily life, and you’ll feel more of a push to achieve them.
3. Set Deadlines for Your Goals
As I mentioned with SMART goals, it helps to have an end date for your goal. This is good for a few reasons. First, it helps to hold you accountable. You don’t have the luxury of just saying “I can complete this whenever.” Instead, you need to complete the goal by a certain point, and you’ll see that deadline approaching on your calendar.
Using the example from above, if you’ve already decided that you’re going to work out three times a week every week at the gym, how long will this last for (at least initially)? You could set a deadline for your goal to be the last day of the semester, that way you have an end date in view. If you make a plan to save a certain amount of money, do the same thing and give yourself an end date. It’s important to note that this date should be reasonable. I.e., you shouldn’t give yourself a plan to meet all goals by the next week. Your goals should help you to improve in your life and to feel better about yourself, not the reverse!
4. Make Sure You Are Held Accountable!
Like with everything, it helps if you have someone holding you accountable for your 2023 goals. Find someone who is a positive influence in your life and who will be supportive of your goals. It works even better if they also have goals they want to achieve! By checking in with each other, you can push each forward and ensure that you don’t slack on achieving your goals. If you have a mentor, you can also use their support to strengthen your resolve and push you. The best people to hold you accountable are those who you trust and those in close proximity. If they are a little bit older, they might be more sympathetic and wise regarding setting 2023 goals for college students since they’ve already been through it. Start figuring out who might be a positive support now!
5. Have Rewards Built into Place
What will you do once you reach a goal? What is your “why?” This is critical to figure out before embarking on your goal setting journey. While some of us are motivated entirely by intrinsic means, most of us are motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic means. That is to say, most of us want both the satisfaction of achieving a goal and some external reward. Before committing to your goal, it helps to decide what you will get for your success.
If you do end up dividing your goals into categories (which I highly recommend!), make the reward for each category relevant to you. This helps you to keep encouragement for the future and see everything as interconnected. One important thing to remember is to not overindulge–don’t let your goal erase the progress that you make. For example, don’t make a goal to get all work in early for a semester and then fall back into bad habits. Overall, your rewards should still be positive and constructive.
A Final Word
Setting goals can be tricky, especially in college. However, if you go in with a plan to make them specific, attainable, rewarding, and organized, you will have far more success in achieving your goals. Did you like our tips on creating 2023 goals for college students? Let us know how you do it in the comments below!
