Staying True to You

PIC 0: The titlecard with the words “Staying True to You” is displayed. The screen fades to Kacey again, appearing in an abstract background.

KACEY: Before I started college, all I kept hearing was people saying, “Oh man, I remember college. I miss those wild times."

Let me tell you about my wild stories. Like how I rewrote a 90s song to be about ancient philosophers.

Yeah, that performance. It. Earned. Me An. A.

And how I coached a team of kids to win a soccer game. Sure we lost the other 11. But a win’s a win!

Notice a pattern? My favorite wild stories are the sober ones. And while I do drink, sometimes it can get in the way of the best parts of college, especially when I go too hard.

But occasionally on nights when I”m not paying attention, I struggle to stay in the “green zone” aka that .05 B.A.C.

So my roommate suggested I try goal setting. At first it felt kinda weird and honestly silly. But when I actually took the time to do it, it helped me keep my priorities straight.

I’m not going to lie, I’m a sucker for a good acronym, so I decided to set a SMART goal.

PIC 1: The acronym “S.M.A.R.T.” appears full screen. The following screens describe each letter of this acronym, along with an associated icon.

Specific: Be specific in what you want to do and the steps you will take to get there. (icon: many arrows pointing to a circular point at the center)
Measurable: Find a clear way to know when you’ve accomplished your goal.
Action Oriented: Choose first steps you can control. (icon: five line items with check marks on each)
Realistic: Set reasonable steps, even if it is a small step. Keeping it realistic makes a big difference and gives you a direction to go in the future. (icon: a stairway leading up)
Timeline Based: Set an end time for yourself to help motivate you to start. (icon: an illustration of a clock)

PIC 2: Screen returns to Kacey.

Here are some tips to follow when creating your SMART goals:

PIC 3: A full screen bulleted list titled “SMART Goal Tips” appears with the following:

Focus on one thing at a time. Taking on too much can be a lot and can lead to failure.
Pick something you know you are ready for and want to improve.
Progress is motivating, so stop and celebrate the small wins!
Reevaluate your progress often. If something isn’t working, try something else.
It may seem hard at first, but as you keep going, it usually gets easier as time passes
Be optimistic. Think positively. You can do it!

PIC 4: Screen returns to Kacey.

So here is the SMART goal I set for myself:

PIC 5: Kacey explains her SMART goal in the following screens. On each screen, Kacey’s still image is shown on the left side:

Specific: I’ll reduce my drinking so that I always stay in or below .05 B.A.C., aka the “Green Zone.”
Measurable: I’ll note how much I drink on my phone so I can keep track of how much I’m drinking.
Action Oriented: I will celebrate small wins, like when I successfully keep to my goal for a night.
Realistic: I will still drink, but I want to keep a balance in my life, and not have alcohol take too much time and priority. I’ll also tell a close friend about it to get some support.
Timeline Based: I’ll check the notes in my phone with my friend after a month. From there I might change my goal depending on how I did.

PIC 6: Screen returns to Kacey.

So first things first, let's get Specific about your SMART goal.

PIC 7: A full screen question appears titled “SPECIFIC.” The first prompt reads: “Exactly how much are you looking to cut back?” with the following choices:

I’ll maintain not drinking.
I’ll maintain my current drinking level.
I’ll eliminate drinking.
I’ll drink fewer drinks.
I’ll cut back byon one drink.

PIC 8: This question continues with the second prompt: “How often would you cut back that much?” and the following choices:

Every night out.
Every week.
Every month.
All of the time.

PIC 9: Screen returns to Kacey.