We have finally reached the halfway mark of the semester; midterm exams have passed and final exams are slowly creeping up. With the colder weather approaching, doesn’t it sound so much more appealing to stay wrapped up, all warm in bed, instead of making the trek through the cold and the snow to get to classes? I know it does to me. The winter slump gets me every time, and my class attendance reaches new lows during these months. Some quick and easy tips to stay motivated and finish the semester strong can be really helpful during this cold season!
Staying organized is a task that is taken for granted by many, but is such an important part of staying motivated and on top of all the work that is due. Staying organized can boost your energy, lead to better sleeping habits, reduce your stress, and improve performance overall! If you’re organized, you’ll feel like you have everything together, your self-esteem will improve, and you’ll be more motivated to go to classes and finish assignments. Personally, when my house is clean and all of my class notebooks are neat, I have more motivation to finish all the tasks that are due.
Once you’ve gotten yourself reorganized for the semester, it’s time to set some goals. By staying positive and focusing on setting and achieving your goals, you will be more inspired to put in the work. The most important part of goal setting is making sure they are attainable. That feeling of success will motivate you to accomplish the rest of your set goals, and maybe even more!
Acknowledging your process is an important part of allowing yourself to stay driven. Once you’ve achieved some of your new set goals, rewarding yourself is the next best step in staying motivated. Positive feedback increases motivation for the continuation of the same good behaviors! It’s a win-win situation of good grades and fun rewards.
Believe it or not, being present in class is just as important as being organized and setting goals. First and foremost, attending classes and listening to the lectures enables you to discover different ideas and topics that might interest you. Allowing yourself that opportunity might give you more motivation to complete the homework and encourage you to not skip class. If getting up to go to your 8 a.m. (or even your 12 p.m.) is something you constantly struggle with, this could be an easy, attainable goal you set for yourself. Be sure to reward yourself afterward!
If all else fails, just think about graduation. That’s the whole reason why we’re all in college and trying to stay motivated in the first place, right? Think about the day that you’ll be standing with your friends celebrating the fact that you guys finally made it. Wouldn’t you feel extremely proud if you graduate with all of your goals accomplished and your grades well-earned? This is definitely what keeps me most motivated when the winter slump hits.
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