Article

Back on Track Plan

5 minute exercise

Stick figure with the text Last Time behind it as it jumps over a hurdle towards text reading This Time

Plan for moments when things might go off track—and build strategies to recover quickly and confidently.

Instructions

Use this activity to think through the moments that tend to derail you and decide what to do next time. Everyone slips up sometimes. What matters most is how you get back on track.

Identify your obstacles and practice turning them into plans for recovery—so you can move forward with confidence instead of frustration.

Make a 3-column grid with the headers:

Obstacle
What Usually Happens
What I Can Try Next Time

Fill out the table with the obstacles you encounter, what usually happens when you do, and what you could try next time.

Back on Track Table Examples

Obstacle	What Usually Happens	What I Can Try Next Time
I miss a deadline	I ignore emails and feel stuck	Email my professor and ask about late policy within 24 hours
I get overwhelmed with work	I stop checking my school portal	Set a 5-minute timer to check just one task or assignment

Save this somewhere you can come back to when you meet an old obstacle or a new one. Add new obstacles or revisit what you could try.

Reflection Questions

What kinds of situations usually trip you up?
What’s one small “reset” action you can take?
Who could you loop in for support next time?

Help Topics > Motivation

Deciding when—or whether—to go back to college as a working adult can be tough. Here are some questions to help you make the right choice for you.

Why do you want to earn your degree?
How will you juggle coursework with work and family?
Can you learn and grow without returning to college?
Can you afford it?

Consider your responses to the above questions about your motivation, time, energy, flexibility at work, finances, and learning preferences. Are you in a place with those resources that make school realistic for you right now? Think also about whether you have your ducks in a row at school, such as unblocking any holds on your student account and a clear sense of which requirements you’d need to meet to graduate. Then, ask yourself whether you have what you need to succeed or whether you still have work to do. This can help you determine your timeline on returning.

Reach out to a ReUp Coach via the sidebar on your dashboard if you ever need help deciding when a return to school would be best for you.

This depends on how many credits you have remaining and whether or not you'd like to return part-time or full-time. Reaching out to your school to discuss this with an admissions counselor or your academic advisor will provide you with the most accurate timeline that works best for you.

This depends on your previous major and the progress you've made during your previous attendance. This would also be a great question to ask your admissions counselor or your academic advisor.