The curtain has officially fallen on the fall 2013 semester. And unless you're taking a Winterim course, you've a good month to kick back and relax before the spring semester gets rolling.
Good deal? You bet.
But while fall 2013 is still in the rear view mirror, take a moment to give it one last glance. Think about what was satisfying about this semester . . . and what wasn't. Think about the smart decisions you made this fall and the choices you wish you could take back. Chances are you've items in each column.
If your pluses outnumber your minuses--if you liked your classes, did well in the grade department, met people, and (all in all) enjoyed college--you're definitely doing something right. Stay the course and you can expect more of the same.
But if the fall semester wasn't exactly what you'd hoped for--academically, socially, or in other ways--time to figure out how to make the next term better.
Start with a "Next Semester's Goals" list.
When I finished my first semester in college (which was okay but far from perfect), my Next-Semester's-Goals list looked something like this:
- Work smarter
- Meet people at school
- Find an interesting major
- Join something
- Worry less
I can't tell you I managed to accomplish all of these goals right away, but I did use my list to make plans. And getting started--and making plans--felt good. It felt good to move forward and to work on filling in the previous semester's gaps. It beat standing still and feeling helpless. It certainly beat writing off college as a disappointment.
So whatever you want to "fix" about your Nassau experience, the intersession is a good time to give that some thought. Better grades, new friends, a more interesting social life, a major that inspires, a happier outlook: maybe these are among your possibilities. But good things rarely happen on their own. You have to set some goals, make some plans--and act.
Have a great intersession.
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