College is stressful. Making it to the halfway point of the semester is a big deal! With assignments piling up and midterms to study for, stress can become so overwhelming that you just want the semester to be over. Being overwhelmed can make you lose focus and motivation, so it’s important to take the time to get things back under control. Here’s some things you can do to get motivated again!
- Revisit your semester goals
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Every semester I set goals for myself. Whether they’re more general or more specific to each class, setting goals of any caliber is a critical part of success. In the midst of all the assignments, it can be easy to lose focus of our original goals. Be sure to revisit those goals and remind yourself why you wanted to accomplish them in the first place. You can also change goals or make new ones!
- Take a day off
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Let’s be honest. College students are supposed to have weekends off, but do we really? Most likely, we will still have to do a few assignments over the weekend in order to finish all of our work for the week. Once the middle of the semester rolls around, try to find a day where you can completely get away from everything school related. It might be tough, but it’s worth it. Don’t check your grades, don’t do any assignments. Just spend a day focusing on you! Take the time to mentally recoup so that you can get back to work with a better mindset.
- Think of ways to improve your performance
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Sometimes, we fall behind. That’s okay! Don’t beat yourself up over it. It’s important to remember that school is hard and stressful, and that it’s normal to not be able to handle everything all the time. One thing I like to do is look back on my performance throughout the semester. I think of things I need to work on and that I need to pay more attention to, or things that I could manage better. This can be anything you think will make you do better for the rest of the semester!
- Reward yourself
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It’s so important to reward yourself! Any accomplishment, whether it’s big or small, is worthy of a reward. You made it to the middle of the semester! Congrats! You’ve done countless assignments, essays, quizzes, readings, and zoom lectures. That’s not for the faint of heart. Treat yourself to an iced coffee, that book you’ve been wanting, or those shoes you loved!
- Engage with people who motivate you
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Watching videos or listening to a podcast from someone who inspires you can work wonders. Motivational figures are important because they can give us a sense of guidance and reassurance. Make it the norm to engage with those who motivate you! Use their energy to ignite your own.
Don’t give up if you’re feeling overwhelmed. You got this! Refocus and remember why you started working so hard in the first place.