It’s the end of February and everyone on campus is wondering when it will be warm again (I think we’re all ready for Spring Break and shorts)! Instead of trying to predict the ways of Mother Nature, try pondering something you do have control over, like what goals you have for the upcoming months. How can you achieve them and why are they important to you? Going into spring with a plan will not only increase your productivity, but also your sense of accomplishment and overall happiness! Here are some ideas to get you started on your spring agenda.
Do A Social Experiment:
Challenge yourself to meet some new people! Even if you feel like you have the best friends in the world, invite someone out for a treat at Frogurt or Starbucks and get to know them. It can be refreshing to get different perspectives of campus from people with whom you may not otherwise have interacted. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find some new interests or hobbies just by having a great conversation.
Be Career Conscious:
Use your summertime to plump up your resume and get real world job experience. Summer jobs and internships require lots of planning, networking, and interviewing but are worth the work. Benefits include learning more about your desired industry, building skills you learned at DePauw, networking, and meeting other students with similar interests as you. If this sounds worthwhile to you (it is!), but you don’t know where to start, the Professional Opportunities office in the UB will point you in the right direction. The sooner you start searching, the more likely you will find the right experience for you!
Exude Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt:
In the words of the former First Lady, “Do one thing everyday that scares you.” This doesn’t mean make a list of spiders, needles, heights, etc. and conquer one per day – that seems excessive. Rather, approach things with a different attitude. If you can tell you aren’t giving something your all – a workout, a relationship, even homework – ask yourself why you’re afraid to commit 100 percent and overcome that fear. If you ask me, getting fit, falling in love, and getting good grades sound like great consequences for extra effort. Increasing your everyday self-awareness can be super rewarding!
So, next time you catch yourself daydreaming about a sunny sky, try to think what you want to be doing under it! Put your goals down on paper, develop your plan of attack, and march into spring with purpose.