College students hold on by a thread to their motivation to finish the semester strong. Many have used social media to poke fun at their crippling drive to learn online. Students stated that “being at home makes them feel like school is optional.” Others say they used to believe online school was for them, but now would love to just sit in a regular classroom. 

Juliet Nava, sophomore biology major, admitted that her motivation isn’t quite what it should be.. 

“Since moving online I have felt less motivated due to the fact that I feel like we’re still on break. I also work more so I just leave it until the last minute,” said Nava. “I try to keep a planner and make a list of what needs to be done.”  

She said that she is getting things done, it just feels like it takes more effort now. What keeps her going and pushes her to get everything done? 

“I remember why I’m in college in the first place, and what I want for my future,” Nava said.

Jazmin Vazquez, who is a concurrent student and senior at Liberal High School, said being at home might be her worst enemy. 

“I feel less motivated because I’m at home and I keep thinking I have time to do my work, but I don’t,” said Vazquez. 

Are you like Vazquez and have no idea where to start with finishing strong? never fear! I pulled together some of the best tips to keep you going. Following these tips can guarantee a good end of the semester.

Planning and Doing

A planner is highly recommended for every student, whether they are an online or traditional student. With everything moved online, assignments and exams can get messy, making it easier for you to forget when an essay or quiz is due. A planner, or even a to-do list helps you keep everything on track without having to search through Canvas for those overdue assignments. 

We recommend every Sunday or Monday, take 30 minutes of your day and just list everything you have to do for that week. That feeling of crossing off an assignment or exam from your planner is fulfilling.

Acknowledge Accomplishments 

Lack of motivation can also come from lack of acknowledgment. Everyone needs a “good job” every now and then. Make a system at your house: for every three days of hard work, you give yourself that fourth day to sleep in or binge-watch an entire series. Reward yourself.

Friends Enforcing Your Goals

Friends are not only great for gossiping or to keep you company. Friends can sometimes be the reality check you need to get your head back into the game. Let your friends know about tasks and goals you have to complete for the day or week. Ask them to check up on you every now and then and make sure you’re focused and not procrastinating. Motivate each other!

Give Yourself Breaks

Essays, exams, staying up all night or having your eyes glued to a computer screen can become tiring and strain your eyes. Try giving yourself a break! For every essay or exam you complete, go on a walk or jog around the neighborhood. Go outside, look at the sky or dance around in your bedroom. Everybody needs to blow some steam off, especially during this stressful time. Don’t overwork yourself, you’ll most likely lose determination and leave many assignments unfinished.

Talk with your Professor

Shoot your professor an email or schedule a zoom meeting with them. They’ll be very helpful, whether it’s just a conversation over your feelings towards this online transition or how you’re generally lost and have fallen behind in their class. 

Professors want to hear from you. Let them know of any personal struggles that may take a toll on your education. Knowing your professor understands where you’re coming from and acknowledging that some professors are struggling, too, can be liberating for both parties. 

You may find yourself asking, “Where do I start, and how do I maintain this motivation?” Your biggest help to keep motivated is to better your daily habits. Here are few daily habits Crusader recommends picking up if you truly want to feel motivated and ready for the day.

Waking up

Start waking up a little earlier, maybe 8 or 9 a.m. Start your day with a little stretching or work out. It doesn’t have to be intense, just enough to get your body going. Make your bed, take a shower and dress up. With all of us being in quarantine, it might seem pointless to dress up, but it sure does help you feel more awake and ready to take on the day. Doing little tasks in the morning gets your brain ready to take on big tasks during the day.

Sleep

Sleeping really late will eventually catch up to you. Going to sleep at 4 a.m., and waking up at 3 p.m. is not the best idea. By doing that, you’ve lost half of your day, along with time to get things done. Try going to bed at 10 or 11 p.m. Get those eight hours of sleep in at a more appropriate time. Before sleeping, take a shower and practice your self-care routines. Your brain likes patterns and giving it a semi-structure of what life will consist of with your daily activities, can be really beneficial.

Time Management

A lot of students have picked up the habit of completing assignments an hour before they’re due. We recommend getting assignments done as soon as possible. Get that assignment in today and the rest of the week is yours to relax. If you leave an assignment for the last minute, not only are you stressed, but you also have the assignment in the back of your head, leaving you with worry throughout the day. Get it done. It’s worth it!

Phone Time

One of the greatest tools on earth right now is a cell phone. That same tool is also our biggest enemy. Our biggest distraction, as a technological generation, is our phones. We don’t realise it now, but Twitter, Snapchat or that text from a special someone is not worth falling behind academically. Set up a timer and limit your phone time. Put your phone in another room with the “Do Not Disturb” feature on and make yourself believe that nothing is going on in the world.

With these tips, there can be a lot of change and improvement in your life, academically. Put yourself and your education first.