After the first couple weeks of a quarter, it can be difficult to stay motivated as reading assignments begin piling up, multiple essays are due and midterms are around the corner. Here are some fun things you can do to keep that motivation going all quarter and be your best self.
1. Get a planner… and stick with it.
Keeping a planner up to date can be a great way to stay organized without letting any assignments slip by. Sit down with your schedules from every class and fill in each day’s assignments or expectations for yourself. This will save you from those moments of terror such as “wait, that is due this week?!” and it will be easier to stay motivated when you know exactly what you need to do. You can try making it fun and pretty by using different colors for each class, adding drawings and making it in your own style.
2. Reward Yourself.
Giving yourself a little treat on a weekly or monthly basis can help you motivate yourself, even when everything seems to be piling up. Maybe it is something as simple as indulging in your favorite snack after attending every lecture this week or buying yourself concert tickets after getting a great score on the midterm you studied really hard for.
3. Get into a sustainable routine.
A sustainable routine consisting of getting up at a fairly reasonable hour and studying at a set time can help you stay on top of assignments and avoid last minute stress. Also, if anything unexpected or random comes up, it will allow you to deal with it more effectively instead of getting buried trying to balance it all. And, most likely after sticking to a week of your flawless, effective routine, you’ll have time to go out Friday night with your besties!
4. Take care of yourself mentally and physically.
It can be easy to blame your busy schedule for skipping meals or not making it to the gym. However, there is always time to take care of yourself! Grab a friend and get some food as break from studying, enjoy some girl talk to brighten up your day. As for exercise, it only takes half an hour and can greatly increase your productivity. Look up a workout on YouTube and you can do it from your room, quickly and painlessly. Also, nearly every campus has mental health resources that are free to students! Schedule an appointment between classes and enjoy the benefits instead of just scrolling through your Instagram feed.
5. Make yourself an upbeat playlist.
Make a playlist with your favorite songs on it. Yes, that includes vintage middle school hits, songs that make you dance today, and lots of Beyoncé. Anytime you need a pick me up and/or to remember how amazing you are, dance it out!
6. Prioritize and compensate for the difficulty of assignments.
For example, you may be the most productive when you first arrive at the library with your caramel latte. This would be the time to write papers and read difficult text, like that boring book from the seventeenth century. Later in the afternoon you may be back in your dorm and much less productive as you casually do homework and chat with your roomies. This might be the time to fill out flashcards, create study guides or any other simple, nearly mindless work you can easily cross off your to-do list.
7. Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Maybe you sleep through your 8am lecture, bomb a midterm or get a bad grade on an essay you thought you nailed. But, it happens! Instead of beating yourself up, figure out what you did well and try to focus on doing more of that. Let it go, grab a fresh cup of coffee and start again.
8. Remember that no matter how hard it gets, you’ll always have your friends.
Although sometimes it can be hard to find motivation even a couple weeks into the quarter, remember that there are thousands of people struggling just like you, including your friends. So if you lose motivation for a night and just want to watch rom-coms with your girls, go ahead! You can always start again tomorrow.
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