The Academic Strategies course has provided me with numerous resources and strategies to effectively manage the obstacles and challenges that I will face as a student and a professional. Many things have changed in the academic arena since I was a student almost 30 years ago. Along with the obvious technological advancements, more in now know about the impact of organization and stress on productivity and success. Additionally, effective study, writing, reading, and test-taking methodologies have been developed, researched, and implemented. Without this course, I would have approached my academic career using the old tools, resources, and strategies that have now been proven to be less effective. I now have a toolbox of critical organizational, reading, and writing resources and will be able to effectively implement the skills I have developed. I have clear and concise long term and short term goals that will drive me to achieve what I set out to accomplish. I have a solid study plan and self-care strategies to insure that I am of healthy mind and body to stick to my plan. This paper will provide detail on my goals and plans for my future academic and professional life. .
Keywords: Academic Strategies, long-term goals, short-term goals, study plan, self-care plan, personal mission statement.
Goal Essay.
I have had many goals in the past, but have never studied or practiced effective goal setting. I always felt that visualizing or verbalizing a goal was enough. I consider myself to be a focused and self-motivated individual that works hard. I have celebrated numerous successes in my personal and professional life, achieving many of the goals that I initially visualized and verbalized. There are other goals that I visualized or verbalized that I have let fall to the wayside. Knowing that I did not accomplish some of these left me feeling as though I failed or was not focused enough. The exercise of creating an action plan and creating SMART Goals (Creating Smarter Goals) was a revelation.
