How to Hit the Ground Running
By Samantha Nitz
Getting motivated for a new quarter can be easier
Samantha Nitz
Associate Reporter
After finally trudging back to classes last week, the realization has finally hit the student body: the new quarter has begun.
With it comes the expectations of heavy homework loads, sleepless nights, difficult tests and the dreaded stress about getting good grades. Many students are having difficulty realizing that break is over and trying to get motivated once again.
How can you break yourself out of the vacation lifestyle?
The first step in regaining some motivation is to dig out the old planner.
During the holiday break, planning your days was hardly necessary, especially when your biggest time commitment was 12-hour sleeping segments. However, now that the metaphorical school bell has begun ringing once again, it's necessary to meticulously manage your time.
Make sure to write down all your homework as well as your extracurricular activities. Also make sure to schedule in both a beginning and end to social time so you know when to get back to work. An impromptu plan to catch up or watch Scooby-Doo could quickly change from an hour long meet up to a four hour affair.
When you realize your Aplia deadline has passed and the only thing you've gotten accomplished is knowing the names of everyone in the Mystery Gang, something has gone amiss with your planning.
Another way to ease yourself back into the academic mindset is to be sure to contribute verbally in class.
For those of us who spent the month off watching Netflix in our rooms, this will be especially difficult. However, talking can be a huge contributing factor to your grade for the quarter. These first few weeks are your chance to get off on the right foot, so give your input no matter how out of practice you may feel. Engaging yourself will help you feel more connected to the course material and, in turn, more invested and motivated to do well in the class.
One final strategy that may help raise your levels of ambition is to find friends within your classes. Seeing 30 new faces at once is daunting on the first day of class, but feeling connected to your peers will make you more eager to attend class and be an active learner. Just strike up a conversation and make an effort to work on homework with someone new.
By interacting with other students you might actually begin to enjoy the class, and nothing is more motivating than feeling passionate about your work.
Starting off a new quarter can be stressful, but denying its existence won't help you succeed. Instead, you should dive right in and become comfortable and interested in the topics you are learning.
Utilizing simple strategies will lead to a much better start of the quarter. College is something to enjoy and, with a little extra focus and positivity, getting back into academic rigor after a long break should just be another great part of your experience.
Contact Samantha Nitz at snitz@scu.edu.