It's getting colder, your meal plan is running low and finals are near.
Getting through these last few weeks can be difficult, especially with the holidays and home sweet home being right around the corner.
Here's a few tips to keep you motivated to not drop out of college and be successful before winter break:
1. Reward yourself.
I'm a big fan of treating yourself, considering my last few articles. However, the idea still reigns true. If you do something really good or productive, you deserve a small reward. Some may think this is just the millennial in me talking, since our generation only understands the concept of "everyone's a winner", but I think there's nothing wrong with that. I've been spending a lot more time than usual in the library, so I went out to dinner with friends as a treat. I did all of my necessary work for the week, without procrastinating, so I let myself be caught up on the shows I've DVR'ed.
Just make sure your little rewards are proportionate to the tasks that you accomplish. I don't advocate for rewarding yourself for every little thing; we all know the struggle of being a broke college student. Our wallets can't afford to eat out all the time or buy out Amazon (no matter how long that really cool thing you want has been in your cart for).
2. Stay on schedule.
It never fails that at the beginning of each semester, I use my planner almost religiously. I'm talking about a color-coded, perfectly laid out agenda telling me what I was doing every hour of every day. Now, I think my planner is under my bed or deep within the depths of my cluttered storage bins.
Putting myself back on a schedule has infinitely helped my motivation and helped me stay on top of assignments for my courses. It keeps my stress at bay and doesn't allow me to go crazy, thinking that I'm missing something.
Procrastinators, this is perfect for you. Keep track of your homework, quizzes, tests, exams, group discussions, etc., or you'll be pulling unnecessary all-nighters, when your precious time could be put to better use.
3. Don't put your health on the back burner.
I got sick this semester and it was not enjoyable; germs are everywhere in college and it's kind of hard to avoid them. However, I can't put the blame on others for getting me sick. It's easy to not get enough sleep because you're studying or the right vitamins because Easy Mac is so quick to make.
Do yourself a favor; buy some daily vitamins (remember to actually take them), get a decent amount of sleep and maybe look into a yoga class or just gym time in general. Your fitness center or local gym can help you in the long run; studies have shown that exercise keeps you feeling refreshed, improves attention and speeds of processing, and the increase in blood circulation helps with energy production and stress control.
4. Remind yourself why you're in college.
Think of the bigger picture. You didn't come to college just to party and live in a cramped dorm room (or I hope you didn't, at least). What's your dream job? What kind of life do you want to build for yourself? Ask yourself these questions and remember how you're going to accomplish them.
A small thing that always helps me with motivation is going through my LinkedIn profile. I find companies that interest me and look through their profiles, while thinking of how I can build my own. I want to impress future employers and I can't do that while not preparing for my tests and blowing off important meetings for clubs/organizations that I'm involved in. Also, if you don't have a LinkedIn, I highly encourage you to make one...but I digress.
5. Take a step back.
Okay, deep breathe. Don't lose your perspective on everything. It's easy to get stuck in your world of internships, clubs, part-time job, and a packed course load.
Take a minute to remember that it's not the end of the world. Things may be incredibly difficult ands stressful for you right now, but like all things, it will pass. We don't stay college students forever, midterms and finals are going to be things of the past. Soon, you're going to have bigger things to worry about...but also get excited over! Life goes on and you're going to go on right with it.
