I suppose I should tell you about another successful Wellbeing Week which just concluded again at King’s. And I will – in the next Wyvern Review. Because today, I would like to invite you to stop and reflect with me (hear me out – it’ll all make sense). 

Imagine this

You’re reading the most important book of your life. You turn each page, fully immersed in it. But as soon as you finish a page, it’s quietly torn out and fed through a shredder. No going back. No re-reading. No way to rewrite. Each page, once read, forever gone.

If you knew that was the case, how carefully would you read the page you’re on right now?

This book is your life.

Every day is a page. Every conversation, decision, or opportunity – once lived, it’s gone.

And right now, perhaps both you and I are standing at the start of a new chapter.

Four weeks ago, I turned a page in my story.

I joined King’s College as the new Associate Director of Student Wellbeing (only while Adele gives life to the next generation 😉) - a role that combines my background in positive psychology and behaviour change science with my passion for helping individuals flourish and create lives that feel as good as they look.

Coincidentally (or perhaps perfectly timed) our students just turned a page too: a new semester has begun. And if that’s you, I want you to know that whether you’re returning to campus with excitement or nerves, what you’re experiencing right now is more than just a calendar shift. It’s what psychologists call a temporal landmark.

What are temporal landmarks?

Temporal landmarks are natural points in time that feel significant or symbolic - like the start of a new year, your birthday, a Monday, or, yes, the beginning of a new semester.  These moments create a kind of mental separation between our past and our present.  As such, they are psychologically powerful moments that give you a so-called fresh start effect.

Research shows that people are significantly more motivated and likely to start goal-directed behaviours (like exercising, studying, or saving money) after meaningful temporal landmarks. Why? Several reasons:

1. They create a clean slate: Landmarks help us draw a mental line in the sand. Whatever didn’t go well last semester - poor time management, social burnout, academic stress - can be left behind. You are not your past habits.
2. They boost self-efficacy: Starting anew increases your belief in your own ability to change. That belief, known as self-efficacy, is one of the strongest predictors of behaviour change success.
3. They shift your identity: Landmarks prompt questions like: Who do I want to be this time around? These shifts in self-perception can catalyse new habits and choices, because your behaviours follow your identity.
4. They disrupt autopilot: Our brains love routine. But that can also mean we stick to unhelpful patterns without even realising. Landmarks break the flow and force us to pause, reorient, and consider: Is this how I want to keep living/ working/ studying?

So, how might you actually use this fresh start?

It doesn’t need to be complicated or dramatic. Here are some science-backed strategies that can help:

• Set intentions, not just goals

Think beyond academics. What do you want this semester to feel like? More balanced? More social? More energised? Write it down and revisit it weekly.

Try the Start–Stop–Continue method

• Take 10 minutes to list what you want to start doing (e.g. regular gym sessions), what you want to stop doing (e.g. late-night doomscrolling), and what you want to continue doing (e.g. regular wellbeing check-ins with Maike 😉)

Create a mini ritual

• Rituals mark transitions. That might mean taking a Sunday evening walk to reset for the week ahead, or using the first five minutes of each Monday to plan your week over coffee. Micro-rituals create rhythm and meaning – both are fantastic for flourishing.

Piggy-back new habits to existing ones

• One of the easiest ways to build a new habit is to anchor it to something you already do. This technique, known as habit stacking, works because it leverages existing neural pathways. For example, if you already make a coffee every morning, use that moment to write down your top three priorities for the day. If you already brush your teeth at night, take 30 seconds afterwards to reflect on one thing you’re grateful for. You get the idea.

So whether you use one of these strategies or simply pause to re-centre, remember that fresh starts don’t have to be merely symbolic – you can make them strategic. I hope you enjoyed the little reflection. Here’s to the new semester ahead - may it be one of growth, meaning, laughter, and connection.