By: Stephen Ji
Time has fooled all of us with seemingly endless lectures on rainy Mondays and long Tim Horton’s lines. Low and behold, we are all just a number of weeks until we have to move out, and for some of us, clean up our rooms for the second time this year. Having been through this stage in first year I can tell you that it feels very much the same, and there is nothing I wish more than to stow away my books and notes to collect dust for 4 months after walking out of that last final. It is this time of the year that motivation reaches an all time low. As such, it is important to not lose that drive that has kept us going so far, to not forget about all the endless hours we’ve dedicated to our studies, and to go out into the summer days on a high note and fond memories. Here are some personal tips to stay motivated throughout the last days of class and finals season.
Put things in perspective: Whether it’s a class you’re not doing so hot in, or finding the energy to finish those last few chapters of readings, taking time to reflect on the larger picture will help collect thoughts. What are your goals? What are you passionate about? How will what you’re doing now benefit your pursuits? These are just a few of the questions that we can ask ourselves to hopefully get organized and stay focused.
Take care of YOU: We’ve all heard the “Oh I’m going to grab a monster real quick, not sleeping tonight” two times too many. Granted, sometimes extenuating circumstances call for such drastic actions, simply “catching up” or changing your sleep schedule is not beneficial in the long term. Therefore, getting a consistent sleep every night is key to taking care of yourself, and I don’t think there’s a better way to staying motivated than feeling like a rock star every morning.
Set Goals: We’ve all been there. “Do I study more for this final or the other? “ In the ideal academic situation, we’ve already been studying for both for 2 weeks. But as we all know, things don’t always go according to plan. This is not to say being in the ideal situation is not possible, it is completely possible, and all it takes is some good goal setting. Goal setting also comes in handy when you’re in a pinch, and what I’ve found helpful is to refer to the syllabus learning goals, writing down the key points you don’t understand, and then planning a way to tackle each within a certain period of time; keeping in mind you won’t have enough time to go into detail for all points.
The 1% rule: If you ask me, the 1% rule is the secret behind all the above tips. It combines putting things in perspective by setting goals so in turn you can take care of yourself. Here is the breakdown, it works by cumulative growth, which means you’re improving a small amount every day, or a couple of days, so that in the long term, you end up making substantial leaps. Take something as simple as sleeping earlier. If you can manage to sleep 1 minute earlier every day, in a month you’ll be sleeping half hour earlier, in 2 months, a whole hour earlier. The 1% rule helps you set goals that are reasonable. It can be adapted to fit anything you like, so give it a try and stay motivated.
Lastly, although looking to other people for motivation can help to inspire new ideas, it is ultimately up to you to find it in yourself to stay motivated and find that inner drive. Try new studying habits. Find what works for you. Don’t let small hiccups along the way slow you down. Most of all, it’s not the mistakes we make that define us, but what we choose to do about it that does. So, here’s an awesome last weeks, let’s all go out on a high note. And as they say, if you can survive first year, you can survive anything.
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