How to Set the Right Education Resolutions in 2021

January is New Year's resolution season. Each year without fail, students and adult learners make education resolutions like reading more books over the next 12 months or picking up a new skill this year.

Having a hunger for knowledge is admirable, as is centering your resolution around this desire. But how, exactly, should you go about setting education resolutions in the New Year? What tips can lead to education resolution success in 2021?

1. Set SMART education resolutions

Let’s face it—resolutions are just goals with a fancier name. And one way to set appropriate education resolutions for 2021 is to abide by the SMART guidelines:

• Specific

• Measurable — There is a way to objectively assess your progress toward the goal.

• Achievable — You can reach this goal based on the resources (time, money, etc.) available to you.

• Relevant — The goal aligns with your long-term objectives, personality, and values.

• Time-bound — The goal has a deadline. 

Still not quite sure what these criteria look like? Here are some examples of SMART academic goals:

• I will improve my math average next quarter by at least two points. 

• I will earn money for college by applying for one scholarship each week.

• I will meet with my science tutor every Thursday before turning in my lab reports.

• I will learn one new Spanish word a day to broaden my vocabulary.  

• I will write in my journal every day to get more comfortable with creative writing.

2. Consider the short- and long-term when setting education resolutions

New Year’s resolutions count as long-term goals because we give ourselves an entire year to accomplish them. What we don’t usually stop to think about, however, is all the work they entail on a daily or weekly basis. Therefore, one resolution can actually consist of many tiny goals that come together to complete the bigger picture.  

When we conceptualize resolutions in this way, we understand why it’s not enough to formulate a single year-long objective. To be successful, we must regularly set small SMART goals that will bring us a little closer to our resolutions. Harvard Health explains this process as, “Break[ing] big dreams into small-enough steps.”

For instance, if your resolution is, “I will improve my math average next quarter by at least two points,” you will also need to set a goal for your performance on each graded assignment. Doing so will require you to understand the grading breakdown for the course and the point value or weight of each test, project, etc. Speak to your teacher if you’re unsure what score you would need on an assignment to attain or keep a certain average. 

3. Step outside your comfort zone when setting education resolutions

Think outside the box this year as you come up with your education resolution(s). Avoid “recycling” resolutions from previous years, defaulting to the most common ones, or copying your friends’. 

According to Joshua Miller’s article “7 Benefits from Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone,” by deviating from the familiar, we can boost our self-confidence, become more adept at overcoming challenges, and develop new and meaningful relationships. 

ECPI University also points out setting goals outside your comfort zone can “help you work on any issues you might have in the workplace before you get there,” such as “communicat[ing] your ideas, work[ing] with a team, and respond[ing] well to problems.” So, even though your resolution may be educational in nature, fulfilling it can prepare you for more than your academic career. 

What about once you begin working toward your resolution(s)?

Albert Einstein is sometimes credited for saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” While the original speaker of this quote remains uncertain, the sentiment rings true—if we don’t make drastic changes to ineffective habits, we are bound to end up with the same disappointing outcome.

To increase the odds of accomplishing your education resolution(s), experiment with new approaches. If you’ve never worked with a tutor before, now might be the time to try. If you’re bored with Spanish vocabulary lists, read short stories or poems instead and take note of the new words you encounter. Rather than searching for scholarships online like you always have, ask a librarian which organizations to contact. Be willing to shake up your routine for the sake of positive change.

Tiffany Sorensen holds a Master of Science in Spanish-English Translation from New York University. She works remotely from sunny Mexico, where she gives English and Spanish classes, writes educational articles, and designs practice tests for the ACT.