In college, we don't have our parents and our coaches to motivate us. In order to study and workout, we have to find our own sources of motivation. As daunting as this may seem, it is possible and it's not as hard as you think.

First, let me start off by saying that I can be one of the laziest people you have ever met. I've been known to waste away my weekends doing nothing but sleep and lay on the couch watching Netflix. Yet, the next day I'll feel terribly guilty. I also like to complain a lot, what a combination, huh? Setting goals has never really worked for me; I always seemed to need a little more of a push. So, I came up with a few tricks to combat my struggle.

1. Quotes

One of my favorite things. Hang one or two or twenty of your favorite motivational quotes around your dorm or home. Seeing them everyday will give you a little extra push. Last semester, my sorority started a "Seize the Day" GroupMe (shoutout to the amazing Leah Hunter) to send motivational quotes each morning.

Here a few of my favorite motivational quotes:

• "Believe you can and you're halfway there." Teddy Roosevelt
• "It always seems impossible until it's done." Nelson Mandela
• "Get up, dress up, show up, and never give up." Regina Brett
• "Don't be scared to walk alone. Don't be scared to like it." John Mayer
• "Use what talents you possess; The woods would be a very silent place if no birds sang except those who sang best." Henry Van Dyke

2. Rewards

Yes, we are 3 years old again. Don't let yourself buy those new shoes until you go for a run every other day this week or finally organize all those boxes from school. I've learned that if you take on your hardest task in the morning, you’ll be more productive the rest of the day. So try not to procrastinate, and take on your most daunting task right when you wake up. That way, you won't be dreading it the rest of the day and can reward yourself with that ice cream in the afternoon.

3. Lists

A quirky, kind of weird habit that I have is making lists. The notepad on my phone is full of them: to do lists, lists of new songs I like, names that I like. Making lists will remind you of the tasks you need to get done and being able to take them off the list is pretty cool. However, don't put more than 5 tasks on your list so you don't get overwhelmed. Go for quality over quantity and pick the most important jobs.

4. Support System

Motivate your friends and family and let them do the same for you. If you know your friend has a big test the next day, wish her well with a good luck text or sticky note on her mirror. Having someone to be accountable to helps keep you positive and on track.

Yet, the biggest aspect of motivation is staying positive. So I say:

• Appreciate the things you have, don't complain about the things that go wrong.
• Surround yourself with positive people, not those who bring you down.
• Find the positive traits in everyone and help them bring those traits out.
• Stay away from the liars, cheaters, and boys who don't treat you right. You deserve more than that and their bad habits will only bring your positivity down.
• Learn to turn mishaps into a motivation source.
• And lastly, know that you can do it.

Images: Giphy and Google