Hey everyone! It’s me, AJ
again. I’m feeling pretty excited since I managed to get through this
first week of classes, and I know I’ll have a bit more time on my hands
this weekend (I think we probably all do). I plan on trying my hand at baking
bread for the first time, mostly so I can learn something
new.
One thing we know is
that goals help us stay focused throughout uncertain times. It gives us a
reason to get out of bed in the morning or stop scrolling through the endless
pages of COVID-19 news; even if we don’t have a class, practice, or club
meeting. Most days I try to give myself something that I can look forward to
doing. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment like a good workout at the Payne
Center or finishing a big class project would.
For me, I knew that I liked
reading and baking but with the mountain of other obligations I had, it became
difficult to devote any real time to those hobbies. I’ve seen other friends
playing instruments they haven’t touched since high school, practicing yoga, or catching up on their reading.
So, for this week, act
deliberately, and set a goal for yourself! It can be anything, whether it’s
making sure to take a walk each day, learning to do something new, or even
getting through the reading and assignments you’re being asked to finish for
class. What’s important is to make the effort to devote specific parts of
your week to complete these goals. Setting a time helps keep you accountable
and gives some structure for you to build the rest of your day
around.
Being able to spend some time
rediscovering an old hobby and setting new goals for yourself can be a blessing
for us during the trying times of this pandemic, but beyond that, learning to
deliberately set and accomplish goals will be a skill that helps us grow
throughout our entire lives.
By AJ Qureshi - AJ is a graduate student in the Counseling Psychology program and a graduate assistant in the Division of Student Affairs at the University of Southern Mississippi
No comments:
Post a Comment