“That’s where I want to go” – setting goals (not only) for the virtual semester

We all have goals in mind. Big and small; some are secret, others we blow the whistle to the world  on Facebook: run a marathon, see the Grand Canyon, get the scholarship.

Many goals are connected with work and small milestones are needed on the way there. You have to listen to many lectures and write some exams till graduation. Sometimes it is easy to learn and the topic is exciting. But, there are also phases when you lose sight of the big and small goals when your motivation is at rock bottom.

The virtual semester demands a lot from students. It requires discipline to watch the screencast in the morning, prepare for it and then attend the online lecture in the afternoon.

Would you like a small motivational kick to make learning easier? Then grab a pen and paper! We will show you how to focus on your goals.

Setting SMART goals

With the SMART principle you manage to focus on goals. Write down what you want to achieve this semester. If you have a goal in mind, check it according to the following criteria and redefine it if necessary:

S – specific
M – measurable
A – attractive
R – realistic
T – terminated

Bad example: “I want to pass all my exams this semester.” Sounds tempting, but is not a SMART target.

Better: “I would like to pass the statistics exam in July at least ‘well’. It’s important to me that I can concentrate on my Bachelor’s thesis in the following semester and that I don’t have to write any exams. The goal is achievable if I attend the online lecture every week and calculate the tasks regularly.

By the way, according to the SMART principle, you can not only focus on “big” goals, but also define milestones that lead to success. After all, you are most likely to pass the exam if you attend the lecture regularly and do your homework: a SMART goal can also be to work through the chapter this week and attend and follow up on the lecture.

It is best to write down your goals and plan the time to achieve them in your daily or weekly schedule. We wish you success in achieving your goals!