There’s a popular myth that as a college student you can only have two out of three things: good grades, sleep, and friends. If you want a high GPA, but also time to go out and make friends, you have to sacrifice sleep. Straight A’s and being well rested? You might as well become a hermit. Come mid-semester, it may seem like we can’t achieve any of these three things. From long hours in the library to memorizing French vocab in your sleep, we start to lose that seemingly endless motivation we had coming back from winter break. Don’t become a victim of this mid semester slump. Follow these tips on how to stay motivated and power through the rest of the school year!
1. Get organizedThere’s nothing worse than sitting down to study for that midterm exam and not being able to find your flashcards among the disaster you call your backpack. When it comes to any task, organization is key. Make a list of the assignments you have to do and prioritize finishing the most important ones first. Many collegiettes tote around their ever so stylish Lilly Pulitzer planner, but how about actually using it? Writing down your assignments and planning when to do them will make life just that much easier.
2. Set small goalsIt’s easy to get discouraged when your to-do list seems never ending. Instead of trying to get everything done at once, take small initiatives and work up to that larger, end goal. Focus on writing two pages of that research paper due next week rather than all 12 at one time. Breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones will make your workload more manageable. Nothing is impossible!
3. Find good study habitsProcrastination—the demise of all college students. Waiting until last minute to tackle all the reading, studying, and work you have to do is a recipe for an all-nighter and a potentially disappointing grade. Staying focused can be especially difficult when there are so many distractions from friends, school events, etc. (FOMO is real, people). Finding a good place to study, such as a quiet, secluded desk at the library, or a table at your favorite coffee shop will help you concentrate on your assignments and finish everything much more quickly. This way you’ll have all your work done and still have time to go to that darty this weekend!
4. Reward YourselfThere’s nothing like the feeling of submitting a paper or completing that set of Calculus problems that have been haunting you for weeks. To make midterms a little more enjoyable, each time you finish an assignment you should reward yourself. Write that annotated bibliography for English? Now go watch the episode of Scandal that’s been waiting on Netflix forever. Finish reading that chapter for sociology? Now it’s time for a relaxing mani-pedi. However you choose to reward yourself, don’t forget to revel in that satisfaction every once in a while and be proud of what you’ve accomplished!
5. Relax! Come mid-semester most of us are overworked, overwhelmed, and burnt-out. We’re so preoccupied with all of the schoolwork midterms bring that practicing healthy habits isn’t even on our priority list. This stress can take a serious toll on your body. Eating healthy and working out will help reduce your stress level and make you feel better both physically and mentally. So whether it’s going to the gym, curling up in bed and watching Vampire Diaries, or sipping on a skinny caramel macchiato at Starbs, take the time to find your happy place and relax.