Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, a French writer, strongly believed in the importance of goal setting. “A goal without a plan is just a wish,” he said. A 2017 report found that 37% of projects fail due to poorly articulated goals and unclear milestones. Hopefully, our Andrews students know better. Last semester, I interviewed three freshmen who had various goals for the future. Let’s check back in on them and see what they’ve accomplished.
Janelle Macraig (freshman, chemical engineering) was very focused on growing her social circle in her first semester. She joined multiple clubs and made sure to speak to at least one person in her classes. Now that she has a solid friend group, Janelle is prioritizing her physical health and academic wellness. She goes to the gym daily and tracks her calories. Janelle has been on top of all her classes and has set aside parts of her day to achieve her study goals. “Going to the gym eats away at my study time,” she admits, “but I still think I can do it.”
Kierra Wilson (freshman, psychology) is also thriving academically. She has done well in all of her classes and ended the semester with good grades. “I achieved this by setting a standard for myself, and how I expected to succeed, and tried to follow through with that goal,” says Kierra. This semester, Kierra’s new goal is to improve her studying habits. She plans to follow a set routine of what to study and when. She’s working on putting a schedule together on her phone, and hopes it will be helpful.
Junia Alce (freshman, business) wants two things out of her second semester: to be academically strong and improve her relationship with God. She got all A’s last semester. Junia credits God for all of her successes. “If God were not with me, I would definitely be an all-F’s student.” This semester, Junia wants to be more intentional about learning in her classes. “I want to study more and keep myself accountable. I cheated myself out of learning by not fully engaging with the material,” Junia says regretfully.
No matter how important your goals are, obstacles will always be in your way. According to Psychology Today, 92% of people never achieve the goals they set. Harmful habits, distractions, and other tasks often halt progress. Janelle tends to sleep late at night, which affects her concentration during classes. “It’s made me less enthusiastic about talking to people,” Janelle complains. “This semester, I’m trying to sleep at 10 p.m. every night. It’s working so far.”
Kierra’s problem is staying focused, and she has realized that her phone has been exacerbating the issue. She’s going to reduce her screen time little by little and intends to keep her phone out of sight from now on. Junia has always struggled with procrastination and has issues controlling her sweet tooth: a problem that has increased tenfold since her first semester in college. She’s since decided to stop eating jars of Nutella. As for her procrastination, Junia has a friend in every class who helps her study. She’s grateful to God for this person.
Kierra, Janelle, and Junia are all happy with the career paths they have chosen. Kierra is passionate about psychology and science. She still intends to go to medical school. Junia’s parents have suggested speech pathology or culinary arts, but Junia is positive she’d like to be a businesswoman. She’d also love to retire her parents and pay off any debts they have. Janelle will likely return to Canada and intends to work in an engineering company. Her classes are difficult and often intimidating, but she has no plans to switch her major. She’s worked hard to get this far and encourages upcoming freshmen to do the same. “You’ve really got to push through. It’s going to be uncomfortable and awkward, but that’s the price to pay for achieving your goals.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.