We’re nearing the end of the fall semester and your routine has long set in. You know when you can skip lecture, how far in advanced you have to even start thinking about studying and who in your class will give you the answers to the homework. The mid-semester slump is real and you can’t let it get to you. At this point it’s too easy to accept complacency and survive doing the bare minimum, go out every night, watch three series on Netflix and spend ten hours a day at the gym. The last round of exams then come out of nowhere and finals hit harder than your LSU hangover. Find the motivation to work through the end of the semester and you won’t have to take a sleeping bag and a watch dog to Lib West come December.
Treat Yo’ Self
I live everyday like Treat Yo’ Self Day, but not everyone agrees. Make crunch time treat yo’ self time so it becomes less of a chore and more something you look forward to. Listen to a new album while your studying, get your favorite drink from Starbucks (PSL, ladies. Don’t front.), or reward yourself with a snack each time you finish some small goal.
Also reward yourself for completing the larger assignments. Watch a movie after you finish your paper. Call your girl/boy to come over after you finished your project. Get sloshed faced after you’re finished for the night. Personally, I like froyo…but I’m basic.
Scare Tactics
Pull out the syllabus you haven’t looked at since August 15 and calculate your grade. Are you passing? If you answered no, fix that. You didn’t come to Gainesville just to have a good time, remember you’re here to get an education and that ends with your college diploma. I guarantee failing was not part of your plan.
If you answered yes, however, fix that. Just because you’re passing now, that doesn’t mean you won’t fail by the time grades close. Is this paranoid thinking? Hell yes, and proceed with caution if you choose to go this route. After you’ve calculated your grade, figure out every doomsday scenario where you fail the class. Whether it’s slacking of homework or bombing a test, you now know what not to do in order to keep up your good grade. Now that you’ve made the conscious effort to think about the consequences of your lax attitude toward the end of the semester, you’ll take these last few weeks more seriously.
Keep Your Eye on the Prize
But why are you here to get an education? You had some plan when you came into UF and picked your major and then changed it twenty times over. Even when people say they don’t know what they want to do, everyone has some vision of their future. Remember you are putting yourself through all this hard work to follow your passions and make your dreams reality. It’s easy to forget about the long term while the mundane takes over our lives. Take a few minutes to remember why you’re taking these hard, boring classes in the first place and you’ll get back on track.
#blessed
UF is a top fifty university. Not many people can say they go to one of the best universities in the country. Step back and think about the opportunity you have to be here and get a world-class education. It sounds corny, but it’s true. “University of Florida” holds a lot of weight with employers and remember that the Gator Nation is errywhere.
Remember When…
Take yourself back to high school for a minute. Remember how nervous you were when decisions came out? Remember how big of a deal with was when you got accepted to UF? Your high school self probably wouldn’t appreciate you dicking around and sliding by with okay grades. Do yourself a favor and be that scholar you thought you were going to be coming out of high school. You’re still the same person and you’re even smarter now that you’ve gone through a decent amount of college coursework. Remember all the time and energy you put into getting into this place. Now that you’re here, you can do it again.
Pat Yourself on the Back
Go back to that syllabus and calculate your grade again. Look at that! You have points! Mazel tov, you’ve learned something this semester. Take a moment to reflect on all the hard work you’ve done this semester and peruse through old assignments. You always learn way more than you realize while you’re actually taking the class, so take a peak at how much knowledge you’ve gained over the last two and a half months. Or look at your projects and complement yourself on how well you did. It’s not narcissism, it’s just the truth. Realizing what you’ve done will show you what you’re capable of, which can get you to keep going.
Via: news.rapgenius.com
Don’t let the fun parts of college slow you down. Or lazy parts. No excuses about catching up on SNL and Candy Crush five days a week. Stay focused on your work and you’ll keep getting grades worthy of Mom’s fridge and soon enough you’ll be living your own Amurrican dream.
Photo courtesy of: Vitamin-ha
