On Saturday, January 16th, HCOP participants spent time in reflection and renewal for a new year, as they focused on goal setting, time management, and how the two go hand-in-hand.
HCOP Academic Success Counselor, Christina Jelinek, began the session by asking students a simple question: Envision that you are already at the end of 2021, and it was an amazing year. What 3-5 things did you accomplish that made 2021 so amazing? This thought exercise was the foundation for a session all about the importance of goal setting, how to create SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based) goals, and how to make goals in three categories: career, relationships, and self. Students were asked to take time in the next two weeks to reflect on their goals for 2021 and beyond and were challenged to write them down and share them - an exercise in accountability.
Along with the workshop on goal setting, students were able to learn about time management. Mrs. Jelinek emphasized the importance of knowing your goals in managing time well and encouraged HCOP participants to take stock of how they currently spend their time in order to “budget” time more effectively. The important takeaway from this session was simple: We can all more effectively manage our time, and with effective time management, our goals can become a reality.