Senior year, post-spring break and now mid-terms are over…are we done yet? Though the fall and spring semesters are not much different in the timeline of the semester, spring semester never fails to have me feel that lack of motivation that I hate when it comes along. There’s a build of excitement and allocated planning to Spring Break and once it’s over, why can’t school end too? A literal tease of summer. This feeling hits hard, especially as a senior! There is so much going on that takes away from my school focus. I find myself trying to fit in all the things I want to do before graduation, make time for friends whenever I can and cope with the sadness of graduating by taking some personal time to myself when I can and repeat. Now, I know this funk is not solely for seniors as it happens to me every year around this time so if you feel anything like me- here are a few things I do to keep myself going even when I’m not feeling it.
- Say yes. Personally, I would love to be in bed every night by 9:30 p.m. and sleep by 10:00 p.m. With that mentality I like to do my work early, go workout at a reasonable hour while still having the intention of making it to my classes. However, people do not all function like that and it allows me to adjust. I have found that rearranging my ideal schedule and timeline has made me happier. I spend time with people when they have the time and staying up a little later and doing work at a different hour harms nobody. If you have a friend that says “let’s get up and take a walk” instead of you working out at that time, do it! Say yes to being around those who want to be around you – it pays off.
- Make lists! This time of the semester a lot is happening. Whether that be school work, events or deadlines for clubs and organizations or planning social events…you need to remember what you have going on. When you have a low drive to get things done it’s easy for things to slip your mind so I always start off my week by looking at Blackboard and making a to-do list for school. That coming first, I plan everything else accordingly and then with phone reminders and a visual component to look for, I will not feel like I’m winging it week by week.
- Lastly, set your goals. The laziness may be kicking in but, never forget where you want to eventually end up. I have been doing a lot of goal setting and dreaming and it helped enhance my work ethic again. It’s okay to take it easy and relax, but remember this is your journey and do not lose sight of what you are hoping to later achieve!
The mid-semester blues are definitely a thing so do not feel discouraged. Follow these three simple steps and know what works for you! You’re close to the end to try and finish as strong as you started.