WITH a recent change of hair colour and some additional weight; you probably didn’t recognise me trending on social media. I recently graduated from the University of Guyana and received the Council of the University Prize alongside a perfect GPA of 4.0. This wouldn’t have been possible without many things, but one of the most important factors was my self-awareness and profound commitment to achieving my goals. The word GOAL helped me persevere throughout my time at the university—in academics and otherwise. I dedicated this week’s column to shed some insight into why goals are important and how you can stay focused to achieve your goals.

Four years ago, I decided to enrol at the University of Guyana. Initially, it wasn’t my goal to further my studies at a tertiary institution as yet, but at just the age of 17, I attended my first set of classes at UG. It was hard to keep up with the brilliant minds and personalities around me. I spent my first year at the university struggling to attend classes, accepting Cs and Bs and even handing in mediocre coursework. I am not proud of this. I had no intentions, no goals and no plans. I think sometimes we often dive into things and get through them by “going with the flow.” If that’s genuinely your plan, then that’s okay. However, suppose you plan on being a specific person or expect specific achievements. In that case, you need specific goals and you need to work towards achieving said goals.

For me, I always wanted to excel academically, but I was very lost in my first year of studies. That was due to a lack of intention and vision on my end. In my second year, I was presented with the opportunity to join the UGSS and it was during the first few months of being a part of the UGSS when I realised that I was treading the wrong path. You see, my initial plan was simply to attend classes and graduate with a certificate. I eventually realised that if I wanted to become the person I aspired to be,that wasn’t going to cut it. I grabbed all the opportunities that were presented in front of me and created opportunities for myself when none was there. I networked with every single administrative staff, lecturer, student and even outside organisations that I crossed paths with. In my time at the UGSS, the events and projects are too astronomical to mention, but it’s safe to say that I’ve helped hundreds of students through those said projects.

The minute I became intentional with my goals, I started to see improvements in my academic standings and my accomplishments in other areas at UoG. I went from a 3.4 GPA in the associates’ degree to a 4.0 GPA in my final year of my Bachelor’s. YES! Despite the fact that I was always front and centre at every event or volunteerism opportunity—I am graduating with a 4.0 GPA. I cannot fathom the idea of it, but I am. I worked hard and long. It wasn’t without struggles or tears. I went from being a clueless 17-year-old girl to being the recipient of the Council of the University Prize. I AM THE FIRST STUDENT from the University of Guyana Berbice Campus to ever receive this esteemed award. After 20+ years of the campus’s existence,I made it happen for us. The Council Prize is awarded to a student who has attained at least a ‘Pass with Credit’ and has made the greatest contributions in other areas of university activities.

The key to achievement in any field is remaining focused on the goals and tasks at hand while planning how you’d get there. In essence, you need to be organised and stay committed to your routine. For me, I like to schedule my time effectively through scheduling apps on my phone or in notepads and books. Every night before I go to bed, I endure that the next day is planned out so that I make use of my time effectively. It is also important to take breaks and not to push yourself to the point of burnout. Sometimes, it’s very hard to say “No” to things that are undone. However, you shouldn’t push your body and mind beyond their limits. Know when you need to say, “no” and work within that timeframe of getting things done. If you’re a student at the University of Guyana and you currently have no goals or intentions on how to get where you want to be in life, I urge you to take a few steps back and reflect. Sometimes, we don’t like to jinx things by saying it out loud, but I’m urging you to not only say it out loud, but to also work towards achieving it. Intentional goals are purposeful, have significance and are decisive. Even if you don’t achieve your end goal, there’s fulfilment and satisfaction in knowing that you weren’t living life on auto-pilot when you’re intentional about the things you want out of your life.