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How to Succeed in this Course

Set Goals

Why do you want to take this class? Perhaps you are after a degree or a job change. Know your end game.

  • Set realistic goals for yourself. Write down your goals and work towards them each week.

See How to Make SMART Goals

Plan & Organize

How do you plan on meeting your goal? Is coursework a top priority or do you have other priorities to juggle?

  • Student report spending 7.5 hours (on average) a week on this course. Plan for this time! I know this sounds like a lot, but a typical 3 credit class is 10 hours. Therefore, if you are taking 12 credits, expect it to be equal to a full-time job.

  • Get a planner or organizer. I love using Notion and it's free for students!

Schedule

When do you complete coursework? Set aside time each week to work on this course. Try to be consistent.

  • Don't wait until the last minute to do the projects.
  • Schedule time to meet with your group weekly in Unit 1.
  • Schedule time each week to work on the projects.

Execute

Do the work. This includes reaching out to me for help, playing, making mistakes, and practice!

  • Set time aside to play and learn Figma. Check out other videos on YouTube or LinkedIn Learning.
  • Don't skip watching the videos! Play them at double-speed or take breaks when watching them, but please don't skip them.
  • Try and try again. Making mistakes is part of learning. Take advantage of resubmission and correct any errors to learn from them and get a better score.

Play!

Don't forget to have fun!

  • This a fun class where we get to be innovative, creative, supportive, and build awesome interfaces!
  • You are in a place where experimentation and trying new things are encouraged, and may lead to great things.

How to Make SMART Goals

SMART Goals Banner

Try setting a 🎯 SMART Goal each week or bi-weekly!

Goal setting may sound tedious and like a waste of time, but decades of research have shown that setting goals are linked with higher

  • motivation
  • self-esteem
  • self-confidence
  • autonomy

Research has also established a strong connection between goal-setting and success. So, how do you make goals that are achievable, motivating, and hold yourself accountable?

Follow the SMART letters!

SMART Goal Details SMART Goal Table

Good SMART Goals for this class:

  • I will review this week's material by Wednesday at 9 PM so I can ask the instructor any questions prior to the weekend.
  • I will get at least 8 hours of sleep 5 night of the week so I feel more rested and focused.
  • I will set aside 1 hour on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to work on the upcoming project.
  • I will set up an appointment with my instructor by Tuesday to review my questions on last week's assignments.
  • I will complete the reading and videos by Wednesday, so I will be prepared when my group meets on Thursday.