How to Stay Motivated in College
So you’ve made the important decision to go back to college but you are struggling with staying motivated. This happens to a great deal of college students so don’t become too defeated. A college degree doesn’t come easily and after working at one for a long time it can be hard to stay motivated. Hang in there! Here are some of our best tips to keep on keeping on:
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Reward yourself! You’re hitting the books and putting in hours of study time so you deserve something for it! We all know that at the end of the day what you are really working towards is a degree and having that will be rewarding, but without small pats-on-the-back along the way it is easy to forget why you’re putting in all the hard work. Ace a mid-term? Take yourself out to a movie. Finish that 35 page resource paper? Pamper yourself with a pedicure or go play a round of golf. Small rewards throughout your education will help you to keep from getting burnt out.
Make it fun! If you don’t love what you’re studying, then you’re studying the wrong thing. Not every class needs to be the most appealing to you but overall you should enjoy your major and the classes you take for it. If you’re not digging it, it might be time to switch majors. If the classes you aren’t loving are just pre-requisites, power through them. It will be worth it to be doing what you love later. Make sure that at least each semester you’re taking a class you enjoy.
Find a Buddy! Classes are always easier to attend when you know there will be a familiar face there. Strike up a conversation with your neighbor before your next class. You never know when you could be sitting next to your new best friend…or when you’ll be sick and need notes from a previous lecture. Taking your class online? Be active in the message boards and participate in class chats. You might just keep up with your new-found pen-pal after the class has ended.
Display Reminders! It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day struggles that college can bring so reminders of why you’re even going to college can come in handy. If you’re a mom and you’re going back to school to provide a better future for your family, you might consider making a photo of your children your desktop background. Frame a favorite quote and place it in your study space. I once had a friend who kept an old work uniform from a job she had in the food industry years earlier. She kept the uniform hanging in her dorm room so if ever she felt like giving up she had a reminder of what she’d be going back to.
About SherRon Marcek
SherRon is a writer and editor for MCC. She studied journalism and writes a blog of her own. She loves to cook and try new recipes when she isn't out shopping for new shoes or walking her pet beagle, Charlie.
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