With October coming to a close, many of us are just drudging out of midterm territory. While it may be tempting to let this milestone lull us into complacency, this is the perfect time to reflect, assess, and goal set!

  The thought occurred to me last week in my Environmental Science course, when my professor (shout out to Paul Rabaut!) handed grade assessment slips to my class. The slips mapped out the assignments from our syllabus with blank boxes for our grades.

  He encouraged each of us to fill in what had already been graded and do some simple math to weigh out our totals. It didn’t stop there!!

  He advised each of us to then assess what realistic grades we were aiming for in the class and, consequently, how we would need to score on future assignments to achieve this! An extra credit grade for this completed task and a casual student-professor conference was the cherry on top.

  The process wound up being such a wakeup call that I wanted to share it. After all, the period after midterms is the easiest time to fall behind in work.

  School might become monotonous or overwhelming; it becomes very easy to push off diligent study habits until the dreaded finals arrive, at which point it may be too late to meet our own standards. That said, with little reminders and constant goal setting, it can be easy as pie to stay on track.

  Step 1. Take a long hard look at your current grade averages in each of your classes–and yes, that means actually logging into Canvas! From here, think about your goals with these courses. For example, if you have a B, could it be possible to raise it up to an A?

  Step 2. Calculate what scores you’re going to need to reach your goals and communicate with your professors! Keep in mind that we are only humans; aim for realistic and positive goals!

  Step 3. As student from the ASC explains, “After midterms, you have to stay focused as if it’s a start to the second semester– pretend it’s a fresh start! Don’t forget that there’s still new information you’re learning every day!” Let’s end the semester on a strong note, stay on top of your upcoming assignments, and don’t fall prey to post-midterm hibernation! You’ve looked at your grades and set goals; now make sure to check in with your instructors and visit the Academic Success Center!