The time is almost here for DePaul's six-week winter break. When thinking about the month and a half that us students are about to receive, it can be hard to focus on the remaining three weeks.
1. Find inspiration
If motivational quotes and daily positive affirmations are your thing, then don't forget to surround yourself with it. If you're the type of person who needs more palpable inspiration, then bribe yourself with rewards for that project, paper, and study completion. The bigger the project, the bigger the reward. Oftentimes, finishing the project at hand is rewarding enough, but as the break draws nearer, I find myself in constant need of trying to find ways to stay motivated - not just the fear of my GPA dropping. Instead of fear, positivity and rewards are a powerful way to stay on track.
2. Focus your mindset
As finals draw closer, it can be admittedly easier than it should be to put off studying with the simple excuse of "I've worked so hard all through this quarter..." There's no simple trick to combatting this other than to just keep working hard. If you could put in seven weeks of hard work, you can motivate yourself to stay persistent. With midterms wrapping up, it can seem daunting to think that some classes will have another test in just a few weeks, or else a paper, presentation or project, but you can do it!
3. Organize the next three weeks
Schedule your group project meetings in advance, pencil in your gym workouts, set a day to write that final paper. Even if day-to-day organization is currently up in the air, make a to-do list for the remaining three weeks, and separate tasks by each week. As time gets closer, you'll be able to structure and allot more specific times to your pending tasks, as well as define the scope of each task better. If possible, try to break down your tasks into smaller goals.
4. Surround yourself with friends or support
If you need help staying focused, start a study group for finals. If you've been neglecting your physical health, find a gym buddy. Socializing can help take away the dread that makes people shy away from certain responsibilities. Additionally, staying around friends who motivate you is a good reminder to stay on task. Don't forget - you may not be seeing your friends, roommates, and peers for six weeks after finals, so embrace the time you have with them now - all while staying productive.
5. Remember to have fun!!
This quarter ending means that you're one quarter closer to graduating, and trust me, it goes by too fast. So instead of solely focusing on due dates, assignments, and dreaded finals, be sure to schedule time to relax and unwind. Even with a break coming up, it's important to schedule downtime - either alone or with friends. Social experiences in college are just as important as academic ones, so don't forget to have fun along the way.
