As the days turn to weeks and weeks to months, students can find it difficult to remain motivated and engaged during the semester. It happens to every student: homework becomes more difficult, deadlines loom and tons of responsibilities pile up.

September is coming to a close, bringing with it the eminent doom of midterms and exams. This can be frustrating for students who want to enjoy the fall festivities that October brings. Maintaining motivation is hard, but it’s not impossible.

Kick procrastination

Many students tend to procrastinate in their classes. The biggest tip for staying motivated is to kick out procrastination. When you get assigned homework or a project, do the work immediately. This can help save students from putting it off and then never doing it. Procrastinating is one of the biggest reasons that students feel more stressed out than necessary.

Plan time for fun

Students can feel like they’re being crushed under school work, that their course load is causing them to be stuck in the library hours on end studying. That’s not how it should be. In order to feel refreshed and motivated to start another day, arrange time for fun. College is not all about academics. It’s also about meeting new people and creating lasting memories. With fall coming and all of the holiday festivities, make sure to plan out time throughout the week to get out and enjoy being with friends and family.

Set small goals

With at least 5 classes per semester, homework, maintaining a social life and possibly even holding down a job, students have numerous tasks that need to be completed. In order to avoid the frantic hunt to complete every single task, start by prioritizing and creating smaller goals to achieve. Instead of completing an entire paper in one sitting, set out tasks throughout the weeks. One day research the topic, another day work on the thesis, the day after write one paragraph and continue until the paper is done. Accomplishing smaller tasks at a time can help relieve stress and anxiety.

Create a routine

Planning time for studying is incredibly important to stay motivated. Throughout the week take advantage of the small breaks within the day. If there is a 30 minute break between classes, use that time to make note-cards or complete an assignment. Block out an hour of time every week to sit down and focus on work. Use breaks and planned time to get ahead of assignments and the never ending stress.

Ditch the threat of failure

Failure does not define a student or their academic ability. It is inevitable to fail at something, whether it be a test or an essay, it happens. Don’t let it be the deciding factor for the rest of the semester. Work on improving in that class instead of letting it take over. Failure is a part of everyday life whether it be in college or in the working world. Everyone has experience feeling like a failure, but don’t let it be in control. Take a break, re-evaluate and push forward to create a stronger and more productive academic career.

College can be overwhelming at times and it can be difficult to stay motivated and positive. The biggest project or the hardest exam can be easily accomplished with the right mindset. Take some time to consider what is not working and what is, then refocus and re-evaluate to create a more productive semester.

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