Written by Brooke Heather
You’ve made it through the first few weeks of the first semester. YAY! Whatever it took for you to get here, well done and ensure that you appreciate the effort that was required.
You may notice at around this time you start losing some of that initial high that’s been keeping you powered. Firstly, let me say this is completely normal and you’re not alone!
Luckily, I’m here to provide you with some handy tips on how to keep the initial excitement alive.
Remember your Goals
After the first half of the semester has passed, it’s easy to lose sight of what your original motivation was.
This is because it’s human nature that we get so caught up in the study mentality that we forget why we’re even doing it.
Typically speaking, you’ve become a university student to be one step closer to working your dream career. Your dream career doesn’t need to stay the same, but it should be a massive point of motivating your studies.
So, this one is simple, remember why you’re in your chosen path and keep reminding yourself of this. I would recommend creating a vision board that encompasses all your career goals.
Reward and Nourishment
Whether you’re a new or returning student, often our minds go into overdrive when starting the first semester of the new year.
It’s of course completely reasonable, however, in this process we tend to abandon nourishing our minds.
Excitement is an emotion that can be difficult to achieve if you’re not taking care of your body.
Think about when you started the semester, I can guarantee a priority for you was to ensure you’re giving your body good brain foods.
Now ask yourself if this priority has been put to the side? If the answer is yes, I encourage you to bring it forward again.
With nourishment comes reward, don’t forget to give yourself ‘me time’. We are often driven by a form a bribery, so setting yourself some rewards like enrolling in an activity of your interest or indulging in a long-awaited bath can be beneficial in improving your motivation.
Get Involved
Presuming that you’re passionate about what you’re studying, get involved!
This applies to whether you’re an on-campus or online student but research activities/volunteer programs you can do that are relevant to your career.
This is something I started doing when my motivation is lacking, and it hasn’t failed to revive it. For example, as an English minor I have found that I can write these awesome blogs.
There’s something for everyone, so go for it!
The Take-Home Message
You’re crushing it! Let my tips hopefully excite you about what the future holds and all the ways you can enhance your semester.
The key is to enjoy what you do and know that all of what you’re learning will lead you there.
Charlie blog is a SSAF funded initiative.
