I don’t know about everyone else, but I feel like winter break ended as soon as it began. I definitely need another week (or month) to lie in bed and do absolutely nothing. Plus, winter is not my season, and it gets very difficult for me to stay focused when the sun sets at 5 pm. That said, the university is open and my classes are in session, so I have no choice but to do my work. I think the key to success in university isn’t always motivation, it’s discipline. Despite the winter blues, I will become an academic weapon this term by following these tips:
Go. To. Class.
Skipping lectures is a slippery slope. I know from personal experience. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve lied in bed and thought, “it’s just one day off,” only to never attend another lecture ever again. This term, I’m going to make it a priority to attend every single one of my lectures. This seems like an obvious tip, but it really helps to attend lectures, see your friends and engage with the material in real-time.
It’s okay to complain.
I absolutely loathe the term “toxic positivity,” but I do need to address it. It’s healthy to see the world in a glass-half-full way; it can make menial and mundane work more fun if you genuinely enjoy it. However, if I force myself to be cheerful on days when I’m sad or tired, it makes everything so much worse. I’m going to make it a priority to step away from my work and focus on taking care of myself. The most important thing to remember is that every day is a new one, so don’t let one bad day ruin your week!
There are 24 hours in a day.
I’m guilty of making crazy to-do lists with ten tasks per day. When I can’t complete all the tasks (surprise, surprise), I get extremely demotivated. There are only 24 hours in a day. If you subtract the time you spend sleeping, eating, attending classes, walking to classes… you don’t have all that much time left. It’s important to be realistic about the things you can accomplish in a day. Now, I focus on doing five tasks every day. My day is usually made up of two or three high-level (and time-consuming) tasks that need to be done. The rest of the tasks are smaller and can be completed in the time I have left.
Eat your frog first.
I used to attend student-success workshops, and this is the main point that stuck with me, either because it actually helped me or because of the disgusting imagery it conjures up. To eat your frog means finding your most difficult task and doing it first thing. When I leave my biggest tasks to the end of the day, they don’t get done at all. Then I’m stuck cramming a big assignment the night before it’s due. Instead, I try to eat my frog first. Once I’m done, I feel accomplished, and it makes all my other tasks seem much easier to complete.
Get out of your room!
I can’t study in my bedroom anymore. Every time I sit at my desk and work in my room, I can see my bed through the corner of my eye and suddenly, I’ve spent four hours under my blanket, watching TikToks or taking a nap. The best way for me to get my work done is to go to campus, find a study spot and just start studying. Seeing everyone else on campus being productive gives me the motivation I need to do my work!