As this academic year draws to a close for many of you and the new academic year is nearly upon us, now is a good time to reflect on the year gone by.
It is an opportunity for you to review what worked well for you last year, analyse the gaps, and create a plan for success for the year ahead.
Last year’s challenges and struggles do not have to follow you into the next academic year.
Self-Reflect on the academic year gone by
Self-reflection is taking time to think! Self-reflecting on your study and exam performance regardless of whether you passed or failed encourages deeper thinking about how you approached both. It helps you consider what worked well for you, what didn’t well and how you can approach both differently in the future. By reflecting on your study and exam performance, it will give you valuable information to help you grow and develop.
Let’s look at some self-reflective questions to support you. Grab and pen and paper and take 30 minutes to answer these questions.
- What worked well for you when studying and preparing for your exams last year that you want to bring into the next academic year.
- What do you want to do differently next year?
- What learning strategies were most/least helpful?
- How realistic were your study habits and schedule last year? What changes can you make to your study habits and schedule this year?
- How did you manage your work-life-study balance last year? Are there any changes you would like to make to this going forward?
- How well did you look after your well-being last year? What changes would you like to make in this area of your life.
Work-Life-Study Balance
When I ask students to reflect on the last year, a common struggle I often hear is the lack of balance.
At this point in your career, there is lots to juggle. Work is busy, you are busy with study, and you are trying to fit some time in for yourself, your family and friends. It is hard to find the right balance.
As you plan for the year ahead, consider your non-negotiables when it comes to looking after yourself and your wellbeing and incorporate this into your plan. This might be returning to a hobby, going to the gym or meeting friends for coffee on a weekly basis. I speak to a lot of students who are often burnt out before their exams even start. If we don’t look after ourselves, then we can not perform to the best of our ability at work or at study.
My top tip is to block out fixed slots in your calendar for yourself and treat them as non-negotiable appointments.
Track Your Progress and Re-focus When Required
Instead of waiting for poor interim assessment results as a wake-up call, monitor your progress monthly.
Every month, ask yourself:
- Am I hitting my study milestones?
- What’s working/not working this month?
- Am I looking after my well-being?
Conclusion
Last year’s exam results are the best predictor of the year ahead. If you were not happy then you can make deliberate changes this year. Use your struggles as your starting point. Identify the habits and systems that did not serve you, replace them with new habits and systems, and keep reviewing your progress along the way.
The difference between a good year and a bad year, is learning from what did not work well for you, making adjustments, tracking your progress and refining your plan when you need to.