New Semester, New Me

New Semester, New Me... Right?

As Confessions and Contemplations of a Peer Coach comes back, we wanted to talk about turning over a new leaf, new beginnings, and the start of a new semester. Meet Sarah; she just started her second year at Weber State. For her and many other, the college experience always has the same pattern: they reach the point in the year when the fall semester begins, and their goals for the new semester are optimistic. Every semester, we tell ourselves this is the time we'll get our act together and change the habits that dragged us down in the past.

Sarah tells herself that she will stay on top of classes, work, and home life. She loves to tell herself that she'll succeed at juggling it all this time, no matter what. Some of her goals this semester are to get trough an internship, spend more time with friends, and get good grades. It is easier said than done; habits follow students unless they put in the effort to change their behavior.

One psychological effect behind the new semester, new me fallacy is that, with a new semester, students feel they have a clean slate. When they look at a new calendar, a new class schedule, or a new grade book, the opportunities feel endless and bright with optimism. The feeling of success starts strong before the classes even begin, with the promise of a fresh semester. 

That isn’t to say people don't plan for a new semester; many do. The idea that, with a plan in place, students' lives will fall into place is one reason this fallacy is so appealing.  The truth is that sliding back into old habits is a slippery slope that can happen before you know it. Sarah planned to bring lunch every day and spend less money on campus. When she gets home, she is too tired to cook or keeps forgetting to grab her lunch box. Sarah planned to spend less money and bring lunch, but can’t seem to keep up with her hectic schedule.

So, How Long Does a Habit Take?

Consistency is a major topic when people talk about forming habits; if someone sticks to their plan, everything will fall into place. While consistency is a major part of habit formation, it is not the only tool that's needed. Everyone is different, and habit formation is different for each person. People may have heard the common myth that in as little as 21 days, someone can change any habit as long as they stick their nose to the grindstone. If changing a behavior was that easy, everyone would do it and be their ideal selves.

 According to Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behavior Habit Formation and Its Determinants, “Emerging evidence on health-related habit formation indicates that while habits can start forming within about two months, the time required varies significantly across individuals” (Singh, 2024). 

Wait, that doesn't sound like the 21-day habit-formation claim. In reality, each person has a different timeline. 

While further research is needed to determine the range of habit formation across different groups, there was a consistent theme between study groups: “Improvements in habit strength post-intervention are evident across various behaviors, suggesting that targeted interventions can be effective” (Singh, 2024).

Small Changes, Big Difference

Many tools can help with habit formation, but one already discussed is consistency. It is easy to fall back into old habits, but keep working on changing a behavior even if someone stumbles. Starting with small steps is key. Changing everything at once can be overwhelming; small changes over time compound and lead to more progress in the long run. This can include setting small goals, writing down your day-to-day changes, and making small changes to your time management; each step can help you reach your goal.

Another tool for habit formation is behavior anchoring. If you already have a set routine, add a target behavior. If Sarah forgets her lunch every day, she could put her backpack near her fridge so she can grab her lunch too. If she makes breakfast every day, make lunch at the same time or set it out next to her breakfast.
 

Stumble, Don’t Stop

Remember that habit formation isn't a set process.

Expect stumbles and use them as motivation to break bad habits. Consistency is more important than intensity. This means that even if Sara forgets one day, she doesn't automatically fail. Stumbling can be the greatest motivation and can make students more conscious of changing their behavior the next time. The only worry someone has about building strong habits is to follow their own timeline. 

I’ll leave you with a quote by Franz Kafka: “From a certain point onward there is no longer any turning back. That is the point that must be reached.”

Resources

Make an appointment today! If you would like more support for test taking strategies, schedule an appointment with an Academic Peer Coach and we would be happy to brainstorm techniques catered to your needs.