I think I can…How to find motivation mid-semester

It’s that time of the semester. You know, the time when students begin to lose the motivation and energy they had at the beginning of the semester.

Students at Saint Rose take on many responsibilities outside of class including part-time work, extracurricular activities, research projects, field experiences, etc. With only so many hours in a day, it can be difficult to juggle all your commitments. Unsurprisingly, a lack of motivation begins.

So how are you supposed to find a mid-semester boost of motivation? Here are some ways I stay motivated to keep going throughout the semester:

• Keep the end goal in sight. For me, my end goal is the completion of my Master’s degree in July. Whenever I start to lose motivation, I remind myself that I am so close to achieving my goal. Whether your end goal is the end of the semester or finishing a huge class project, don’t lose sight of your goal!

July 18th, my last day of grad school, is already circled on my calendar!

• Look for inspiration. Sometimes hearing news story or listening to someone else’s experiences can provide some inspiration. For example, hearing about your friend’s promotion or listening to a news story about a charity reaching its fundraising goal can lift your spirits and inspire you to keep up your motivation.
• Celebrate the small accomplishments. I can safely assume that many students are weighed down the semester with projects, research papers, and tests. Keep up your motivation by celebrating your small accomplishments. Pat yourself on the back if you finished the first half of your project. Buy yourself a coffee from Starbucks after you passed your next test. If you don’t take a step back to acknowledge your small accomplishments, you may lose sight of the end goal.
• Lots of coffee. Just kidding. Well, not really. What I mean by this is that you should do whatever keeps you running and focused. For some, it’s coffee. For others, it’s exercise or meditation. You know yourself best, so you know what keeps you motivated and ready to go!

To end this post, I offer you some words of inspiration:

“People become really quite remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things. When they believe in themselves, they have the first secret of success.” – Norman Vincent Peale

How do you stay motivated? Leave a comment below saying how you find motivation mid-semester!