Motivation can be defined as the reasons one has for behaving/acting in a certain way. This fundamental definition is how routines are formed. Routines are changed due to a desire to act upon a behavior. A streak can be interpreted as a goal one completes daily for a set number of days. This could be to prepare for an event in the future or for personal enjoyment. Establishing a streak can be one of the best ways to increase motivation, hold accountability, and track progression. With the third academic trimester approaching, a streak may be the way to reshape routines and prepare for academic challenges.

Senior Frances Clifford is focusing her streak on a better-tailored night routine. Through the continuation of the same night routine, Frances feels she will become more successful and that many aspects of her life will change for the better.

“The main thing I am focusing on is trying to reduce my screen time, and I can do that by deleting Instagram and trying to get my work done earlier in the night so I can have more free time at night to read for 20 minutes and prioritize my wind-down routine,” said Frances.

A streak needs a step, which is something that you can do every day that jump-starts a new habit. A streak may involve cutting something negative out of a routine, and for Frances’ night routine, this is Instagram. Instead of those 20 minutes scrolling on Instagram reels, Frances has decided to replace that with a daily streak of reading. She is going on a few days with this new wind-down routine, and she already sees that reading helps her fall asleep.

Embedding a streak into everyday routines helps people discover new aspects of themselves, which is one of the reasons why this method works. Humans often undermine their strength and ability to maintain a goal. Streaks, though, add some pressure and make people feel they are doing something bad if the streak ends. Discovering personal potential through the completion of a daily streak is one of the reasons people are motivated to embed the streak into everyday life.

Freshman Cornelia Gruenberg’s streak is more academically targeted. “I want to change my study habits to study more subjects, especially history,” Cornelia said. “I plan to do that by creating flashcards.”

Cornelia plans to make flashcards every weekend to help to retain knowledge for history. Her trial streak was in preparation for the exam. During her weekends, she wrote and practiced the flashcard set and tracked her progress through class assessments.

Another aspect of a streak is that it is meant to work in a trial-and-error style. The person completing the streak can tweak the duration to reflect their needs. If the streak does not enhance a routine or spark the results someone was seeking, one can cut out the streak completely or edit it and try again.

Sophomore Ella Ferrari’s streak is to sleep more.

This kind of streak can be hard to implement, which is why a streak needs an important first step to be upheld. Without a starting point, one can feel overwhelmed, delaying the start of their streak. A delayed start keeps the streak as an aspiration rather than a tangible goal.

Junior Fiona Pedreza sets a great example of how to achieve something like getting more sleep. She noticed a streak like this needs multiple steps in order to be successful.

“I am trying to not do homework past 10:00 p.m. during exam period so I get more consistent and better sleep and build a foundation for better time management,” said Fiona.

This initial step and attempt to cut off working time at 10:00 p.m. is crucial in working towards the overall goal of sleeping more during the exam period. Fiona’s streak is a perfect example; she has a time range and a set trial period to make it happen.

If you are going through a period of change in your life, big or small, a streak can help create little segmented routines to help with motivation, dedication, and discoveries.