Goal-Setting at University

Studies have shown that students who set specific, written goals are much more likely to succeed in life than those who don't. Having a clear idea of what you want to get from your time at university - and from life beyond your studies - lets you focus your attention on the areas which matter to you.

Here's how to set effective goals to help you make the most of being a student:

Be clear about what you want from your time at university

Being a student isn't just about getting a piece of paper when you graduate. Nor is it just about enjoying the freedom and socialising of the student lifestyle. There are dozens of things you could use your time at university to achieve - and it's up to you to be clear about what you want to get out of these years of your life.

Are you aiming for a great degree? Or do you want to launch your own business, write a novel, become President of a society, or get relevant experience for your dream career? Don't try to conform to someone else's goals for your life: you don't have to become an investment banker just because that's what your dad wants. And don't be swayed by your friends or classmates - if you'd rather spend your Saturday night volunteering at a soup kitchen instead of partying, that's your choice.

Set goals in different categories

Goal setting doesn't need to be all about your academic life or your career plans. Try picking several goals to work on, in different categories: that way, you can make progress in multiple areas at once. For example, you might want to set goals involving:

• Your studies
• Your financial situation
• Your future career
• Your health and fitness
• Your relationships
• Your spiritual wellbeing

Don't try to focus on too many goals at once - but look for the three or four areas where you most need to improve, and tackle those first.

Write down your goals, and re-visit them regularly

Anyone can dream up lofty goals - and forget them the following day. Write down your goals, and be as concrete and specific as you can. Goals need to be measurable so that you can tell whether or not you're on track to achieve them; "Get fitter" isn't a goal, "Go to the gym three times a week for a thirty-minute cardio workout followed by a weights session" is.

Just writing your goals down helps you to crystallise them, but jotting them in a notebook and shoving it under your bed won't help much. You need to reread your goals on a regular basis - weekly, or even daily. Try writing them out and pinning them on your noticeboard, setting them as your screensaver, or scheduling half an hour once a week to look at your goals and assess how you're doing - and whether you need to change any of them.

Be realistic about timescales

One mistake that many people make when setting goals is to be over-optimistic. Sure, you might want to write a novel in six months, or lose twenty pounds in six weeks - but you'll be disappointed if you fail to meet your self-imposed deadline. Give yourself twice as much time as you think you'll need. It is important to set dates on your goals (otherwise it's very easy to keep putting them off till tomorrow), but be realistic about your time-commitments.

Share your goals with friends

Letting other people know about your goals and ambitions can be a great way to stay motivated and accountable. If you can, get together with some like-minded friends who'll encourage you towards your goals - this could be as simple as meeting up for coffee once a week and discussing how you're all doing. Knowing that you'll be telling someone else about the progress you're making can really help you to stay on track.

Friends can also help on a practical level with your goals - for instance, if your goal is to eat more healthily, you might have a friend who can teach you to cook. If both you and a friend share a similar goal, you can work on it together or alongside one another.

Enjoy yourself!

The final point about setting goals is that they should be enjoyable. Don't force yourself to chase after a goal which you're becoming more and more discouraged about or fed up with. If your goals aren't working for you - change them.

Ali Hale is a postgraduate student of Creative & Life Writing, and runs the blog Alpha Student ("Helping you make the most of your time at Uni"). Ali works as a freelance writer and website creator, and is on the staff of several large blogs. If you're looking for a writer or a website, you can hire her via Aliventures.