Five Ways to Stay Motivated in School

It happens to the best of us.  We spend winter break thinking about how hard we are going to work next semester, notes we are going to take of every chapter, and exams we are going to ace.  Every collegiette has those good intentions.  But as the hours, days, weeks go on – we tend to lack the endurance to carry our motivation out to the rest of the semester.  We get bogged down, caught up with friends, and simply want to enjoy the warmer weather.  But how do we stay motivated?  Here’s a little advice. 

1)    Get Numbers

Yes. Make friends with people who sit near you in class and get their cell phone numbers.  This way you will be able to keep on top of homework assignments, study in groups, and look forward to seeing friends in class.  It’s also helpful to compare notes and edit each other’s papers.  You could also stay further motivated with a little healthy competition. 

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2)    Suck up to the teacher

We all hate that person who is the teacher’s pet, but there is a method to the madness.  Go visit your professor’s office hours and get to know them a little better.  Participate in class in order to get on their good side.  If you get to know your professors better, you’ll be less likely to slack off because you want to make them proud of your success.

3)    Chart Your Progress

A lot of professors put your grades up on Blackboard, so check frequently.  As you rack up the good grades, write them down on a sticky note and keep it near your desk or laptop.  This way you’ll see all of your successes and want to continue to do well. 

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4)    Discuss Class

Always keep school on your mind and talk about it with your friends and family.  If you rehatch what happened in class and what you learned, you are likely to pay full attention in class, retain extensive information, and perform better on exams.

5)    Reward Yourself

Just like you would treat yourself when on a diet, make sure to also reward yourself when you do receive a good grade on an exam or paper.  Recognize how hard you worked and know that you deserved that good grade.  Fro-yo anyone?

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