Stability and Reference for College Students – Planning Ahead
Do you plan ahead? I mean do you plan ahead habitually? You should. Talk to any successful person in a business career or any professional career; you will find that they are not concerned about planning for tomorrow, that has already been done. Rather they are planning for next week, month or year; and large, successful organizations are planning for five, ten, fifteen or even twenty years ahead.
Start With Short Range
For tomorrow and probably the next day, it is probably too late; but try anyway! Is your homework done for tomorrow? Could you have done it earlier today, or even yesterday? If your answers are not “Yes” and “I did it yesterday!”… you have a planning ahead deficiency; and it will hold you back from doing your best. And what is worse, you WILL worry about it! If not now, then when you walk into the classroom with the homework only partially done or not done at all. What are you going to say when the instructor calls on you? Avoid all of this by planning ahead, by habit!
Often a short query of the instructor after class, a few minutes studying the course syllabus or looking ahead at your online assignments will be the key to your short range planning. Form the habit of getting your work done ahead of time. Then, when the unexpected events come your way, you will be able to cope with them and never get behind in your number one priority in college (i.e. after the Lord), learning! And part of learning is learning plan ahead. You will be healthier both mentally and physically, because you will have eliminated many of your concerns and, hopefully, all of your collegiate academic worries!
Next Plan Long-Range
The next major exam, next semester’s project, the year-end presentation, next year’s symposium on College … (Fill-in the subject for your major presentation.). Are you ready for them? Probably not; and that’s usually OK, because there is time. But do not let time continually be slip, slip slipping away without making daily progress in your long-range planning. Also, do not let others talk you into procrastination. You know the feeling when you are constantly thinking, “I really ought to be working on that project, but I’ll do it later.” When that thinking is repeated numerous times, it is a danger signal. Heed the warning!
Here is a strategy. It is October and you have a team project due next April. There are three other students helping you to put this presentation together on “Using Spreadsheets for Everyday Use.” It is Friday afternoon and all of your classes are done. It is time to relax and figure out what you are going to do, and where you are going to go, tomorrow. You also have a “hot date” tomorrow night; and she (or he) is special; you really want it do go well – your first date with Mary (or Robert). Right now you are tired; it has been a long day. Do this: Find a quiet place and close your eyes for 15 to 20 minutes. Relax as much as possible; maybe even lay on your bed during this time. But do not sleep. Now get up and spend 20 minutes to an hour just thinking, not writing or taking notes or doing research, about “Using Spreadsheets for Everyday Use.” If you come up with some really good ideas, consider quickly writing them down. What have you just done? You have spent your time wisely and set the foundation for brainstorming with your three colleagues about the project due six months from now. And believe it or not, that special first date with Mary will go much better! Why? Because you have less concerns, and no worries, about putting off planning for that major project. Try it!
Now Plan a Career
Repeat the above strategy until you have formed the habit of planning ahead. You are learning and developing a strategy for long-range planning. As you apply this learning and strategy to planning your career during your junior and senior years, life may fall into place so much more smoothly. And, Mary or Robert will be impressed enough to consider helping you do that too… maybe all the way into marriage and a family!
Your comments and questions are most appreciated. Thank you for reading!
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