Post-exam Reflection and Setting Goals for Next Year

What can you do after the exam season?

Carrying out a post-mortem and going over your answers and comparing them with your peers is a normal thing to do, but more often than not, you end up feeling worse than you did when you finished your papers. 

Instead of doing this, why not write down notes in your journal about how you feel about your performance in the exam? Whether it’s a positive experience or not, it can help you release all the pent-up feelings and stress you have inside. 

Processing your feelings during and after the exam can help you identify which parts of the curriculum you may need to exert more effort on next time. It’s just as important to pinpoint things that went well, even small things such as coming to the exam room confidently and early.

Beyond checking in on your performance post-exams, it’s important to remind yourself that learning doesn’t stop from there. As the saying goes, learning is a never-ending process and is crucial for growth. 

As a student, continuous learning allows you to strengthen your critical thinking skills and look at certain topics in a different light. It’s a self-motivated way of acquiring new knowledge, skills, and competencies to foster growth and prepare yourself for the new challenges ahead. 

Continuous learning helps you keep track of all the minor and major changes that have happened throughout the term, encouraging you to stay focused on your own goals. 

As the term comes to an end, learning new things over the holiday break gives you a feeling of accomplishment, which, in turn, can boost your confidence. You’ll feel more ready and capable to take on new challenges next semester.

How can you set your goals for the new semester?

Goal setting is essential to succeeding in school! It helps you stay motivated, organise your time, and focus your energy on learning, regardless of the obstacles you face along the way.  

Whether you admit it or not, you’re likely to wander off track if you don't keep an eye on your goals for the upcoming semester.

1. Start with a positive mindset

When setting goals, having a positive mindset and perspective on things goes a long way!

Many people believe that positive thinking is a crucial factor when achieving success in school, but don’t rely on just having a positive mindset! Positive thoughts just keep you on track and prevent you from holding yourself back. 

Instead of using words like “I won’t fail Maths”, use positive language like:

• I will be accepted to my chosen university
• I will pass Chemistry with an “A” 
• I will increase my Geography exam scores by 10 points

2. Set realistic goals

There’s nothing wrong with dreaming big, but it’s important to set goals that you can realistically achieve to not set yourself up for disappointments. 

Failure can have a massive effect. If you set an unrealistic goal and end up failing to hit the mark, you’ll likely lose your confidence to achieve your other goals. 

For example, if you failed Algebra this year but want to improve your performance, don't set a goal of an "A+" grade if it’s one of the subjects that you struggle with. 

3. Know your objectives

Objectives differ from goals in the sense that they are the stepping stones that lead you toward your ultimate goal. They are tools that help you stay focused and on track. 

Here’s an example:

If your goal is to pass Additional Maths with a “B” grade, these should be your objectives:

Objective 1: I will review all the maths subjects I learned in the past years and revisit my exam papers.

Objective 2: I will study dedicated at least an hour every day learning Additional Maths concepts. 

Objective 3: I will enrol in a tuition class so I can learn more about Additional Maths with the help of a tutor.