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College Gaf: How do you stay motivated to study?
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onadesertedisland
Member
College is a game. Learn the rules, play the game. 90% of the stuff I studied I don't use and have long forgotten. Care enough to get what you want out of it. If you want a grade, study and get a grade. If you want knowledge, study, talk to the instructor, read outside of class.
entremet
Member
NoblesseOblige
Banned
Graduated college but I never really studied. Now how did I stay motivated to do my coursework? Realized I had already paid thousands a semester, and to not do it would be a waste of that investment. And I hate wasting investments, so I just did what was asked and did it well.
I had more motivation to study when I went to the libraries and labs where other people were also grinding out projects and homework. I couldn't get much done at my dorm or my apartment. I would stay in the lab until 3-4am if I needed to, my school had keycards which provided students access to the lecture halls and labs 24/7.
I have a process that changes based on how confident I am.
At a minimum simply do the homework.
If my confidence is still low I will make an outline or cheat sheet of significant points within the material (think of it as making a set of slides for some topic but in outline form).
If I really feel like i'm screwed and the outline isn't enough (which typically isn't in math classes), I will find a set of suggested problems for the text book. How I complete them depends on confidence level:
* high - write out the steps to complete the problem
* moderate - complete in full the portions I feel are worth completing
* low - complete the entire set and annotate my process on each problem with notes.
I rarely do more than an outline or cheat sheet because it gets my confidence level sky high. It is really easy to complete, the process of completing it tricks you into reading at least some of the content (assuming you pull from the book), it condenses all that content into something far more manageable, and you have something to walk around with for casual study. The earlier you do it, the more powerful it becomes.
At a minimum simply do the homework.
If my confidence is still low I will make an outline or cheat sheet of significant points within the material (think of it as making a set of slides for some topic but in outline form).
If I really feel like i'm screwed and the outline isn't enough (which typically isn't in math classes), I will find a set of suggested problems for the text book. How I complete them depends on confidence level:
* high - write out the steps to complete the problem
* moderate - complete in full the portions I feel are worth completing
* low - complete the entire set and annotate my process on each problem with notes.
I rarely do more than an outline or cheat sheet because it gets my confidence level sky high. It is really easy to complete, the process of completing it tricks you into reading at least some of the content (assuming you pull from the book), it condenses all that content into something far more manageable, and you have something to walk around with for casual study. The earlier you do it, the more powerful it becomes.
Unmasked Ferret
Member
I have never once seriously studied. If I actually get into a situation where I feel the need to study, I imagine the urgency of that will be enough to motivate me. I'm in a fairly easy major and take relatively easy classes though.
But to actually try to be helpful. Just setting a specific time to study aside, like if you have a break between classes, or settin small study goals might help you. Another suggestion is to find others who you can study with and create study groups, meet in the library or in a study area. Some people I know become tutors so that they have to be able to help someone else making studying very important, but they some times get too focused on specific stuff because of it.
But to actually try to be helpful. Just setting a specific time to study aside, like if you have a break between classes, or settin small study goals might help you. Another suggestion is to find others who you can study with and create study groups, meet in the library or in a study area. Some people I know become tutors so that they have to be able to help someone else making studying very important, but they some times get too focused on specific stuff because of it.
In my experience it's a skill you can develop like any other. Discipline and patience were the two most important skills to learn while I was in school, but it wasn't until years of procrastinating and narrowly getting by that I was able to get a handle on how to improve. Now that I'm back in school it's amazing to look at the 18-19 year olds struggling with a 5 page paper and realize how far I've come.
bucknuticus
Member
I worked a shitty warehouse job all through college, that was enough motivation for me to study and get good grades
That is very good advice. I generally view my Saturday's as totally "off" and Sunday's as a half-day, doing as much of my upcoming work as I can in the morning / afternoon and relaxing in the evening.
mhayes86
Member
My commute was 45-60 minutes, and my classes were spread out from 9am to 9pm in order to fit as many classes in as possible into as few days as possible to save gas. Sometimes I had an hour or two between classes, so all I could do is study or work on homework.
At home, my distractions were the Internet, and having to take care of my mom's house (lawn, dog, taking siblings to appointments, etc.). A lot of study material and papers were done on my computer, so I would jump online and get off topic, but it's not always a bad thing, because sometimes you need to clear your mind and take a short break. Other times, I had a goal set to get as much done as possible by a certain time, because my girlfriend (now fiancee) and I had set times to see each other due to work/school. If I had to take a sibling to an appointment, I took my study material with me while I sat in the car in the parking lot. Once I got what I wanted to out of the way for the day/week, I could treat myself to some video game time.
In general, I procrastinated a lot less in college just because I hated the idea of being unprepared or having an assignment to work on still, and heavily motivated to graduate, get a job, and get away from home.
At home, my distractions were the Internet, and having to take care of my mom's house (lawn, dog, taking siblings to appointments, etc.). A lot of study material and papers were done on my computer, so I would jump online and get off topic, but it's not always a bad thing, because sometimes you need to clear your mind and take a short break. Other times, I had a goal set to get as much done as possible by a certain time, because my girlfriend (now fiancee) and I had set times to see each other due to work/school. If I had to take a sibling to an appointment, I took my study material with me while I sat in the car in the parking lot. Once I got what I wanted to out of the way for the day/week, I could treat myself to some video game time.
In general, I procrastinated a lot less in college just because I hated the idea of being unprepared or having an assignment to work on still, and heavily motivated to graduate, get a job, and get away from home.
LT Snoshado
Member
This pretty much sums it up for me. I just "get by" in my core classes but when it comes to your major, you shouldn't have to be looking for motivation. I began as a computer science major and was completely unmotivated until I switched majors to something I was truly interested in and passionate about.
Maybe you haven't found what you actually love doing?
...also, sticking to a set schedule and keeping a calendar / planner is another key for getting through college and life by keeping yourself focused (as long as you stick to it!).
Don't worry, it took me an entire undergrad degree to figure out how not to procrastinate.
Now that there's real stakes in mind and I feel the clock ticking, it's like a fire has been lit underneath my ass.
I now get that feeling of, "Shit, shit, shit, I gotta do that homework or that pre-reading."
And then when I start, I enter BEAST-MODE where I can work hours without stopping.
Wish I had that kind of work ethic when I first started...
Now that there's real stakes in mind and I feel the clock ticking, it's like a fire has been lit underneath my ass.
I now get that feeling of, "Shit, shit, shit, I gotta do that homework or that pre-reading."
And then when I start, I enter BEAST-MODE where I can work hours without stopping.
Wish I had that kind of work ethic when I first started...
Pretty much. Getting into the habit of writing is something I've improved on.
You have got to love what you are studying. I love computer science and math so naturally i spend about 6-10 hours studying. I really want to succeed, honestly I have nothing to fall back on.
No parents, no siblings etc. I am alone and poor, so that's a big drive too
edit I am working at walmart as a cashier, so that's another big factor
No parents, no siblings etc. I am alone and poor, so that's a big drive too
edit I am working at walmart as a cashier, so that's another big factor
Another good tip.
When that many people surround you are working hard, you feel somewhat quilty.
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Also, don't be a goob about practicality. If you've lived your whole life in school it's hard to realize you're in school to give you skills and knowledge that you can use to help you survive in the "real world," which doesn't coddle you or permit you to simply exist without giving something in return. The cost of living is something unknown to many college students. I was one of those people. Had worked odd jobs here and there but always had a support system and things provided for me. Graduated and was thrown out to the wind, so to speak.
Once you get out of college you need those skills, knowledge, and credentials. That's why you're there. Don't let it be a waste of your time and money, especially because the money you or your parents or whoever is paying now will come back and haunt you, and the only way to drive off that ghost is with a good job.
Once you get out of college you need those skills, knowledge, and credentials. That's why you're there. Don't let it be a waste of your time and money, especially because the money you or your parents or whoever is paying now will come back and haunt you, and the only way to drive off that ghost is with a good job.
blitzkrieg184
Neo Member
I just kinda do it. If anything scholarships and my own pride motivate me to get stuff done.
Forcing a positive mindset and trying to be intellectually curious is what helps me the most. I try my best to find something I'm interested in no matter what the subject happens to be and to embrace it. Then things become way less of a chore, as I'm reading/doing something awesome.
For example, last semester I was in a Film class. Honestly I enjoy movies but rigorous study of film really isn't high up on my list of things that I find engaging. But I challenged myself to approach Films from a technical perspective, to better understand them. I ended up enjoying the course quite a bit. Read all the chapters in the book and did all the papers. Found myself even doing work early.
For example, last semester I was in a Film class. Honestly I enjoy movies but rigorous study of film really isn't high up on my list of things that I find engaging. But I challenged myself to approach Films from a technical perspective, to better understand them. I ended up enjoying the course quite a bit. Read all the chapters in the book and did all the papers. Found myself even doing work early.
March of the Crabs
Member
Balancing work and school makes it impossible for me to study until the night before a test. I'm sort of like you in the sense that I have every intention of doing these things, but life gets in the way and I never end up doing it. I probably spend more time worrying about not getting stuff done than I do actually doing stuff.
When it gets down to crunch time, the night before a test I spend hours just writing handwritten notes about the chapters the test will cover while drinking beers and knowing that if I will fail if I don't learn this shit. Writing things by hand makes all the difference when it comes to memorization or learning. That takes about 7 hours and then I'm all set! This foolproof tactic ended up giving me the highest GPA in my entire program last semester. (The real lesson here is that everyone is different and learns differently/has different motivations, and you need to find a routine that works best for you. There's one for everyone!)
When it gets down to crunch time, the night before a test I spend hours just writing handwritten notes about the chapters the test will cover while drinking beers and knowing that if I will fail if I don't learn this shit. Writing things by hand makes all the difference when it comes to memorization or learning. That takes about 7 hours and then I'm all set! This foolproof tactic ended up giving me the highest GPA in my entire program last semester. (The real lesson here is that everyone is different and learns differently/has different motivations, and you need to find a routine that works best for you. There's one for everyone!)
Spine_Ripper
Member
I saw this thread 4 hours ago, just before I started doing my homework.
Just kidding, I only read 3 pages. One year left til I graduate. I told myself absolutely no fucking around lol. I always slack off at the start. Long break, then a sudden start where some professors start slow and others faster. I, like others in this thread, do my best when I pull all nighters before exams/papers. Made it this far, so it could be worse.
I really should apply myself more though. If I got straight As for my final two semesters, I'm pretty sure I could graduate with a gpa that I wouldn't want to hide during interviews lol.
Just kidding, I only read 3 pages. One year left til I graduate. I told myself absolutely no fucking around lol. I always slack off at the start. Long break, then a sudden start where some professors start slow and others faster. I, like others in this thread, do my best when I pull all nighters before exams/papers. Made it this far, so it could be worse.
I really should apply myself more though. If I got straight As for my final two semesters, I'm pretty sure I could graduate with a gpa that I wouldn't want to hide during interviews lol.
Patrick Bateman
Member
This. It's a lot of stress, but I somehow passed everything.
I would consider a daily plan, too.
When the time of the finals come I put my class schedules and breaks in a plan and try to use the time well everyday.
I love what I'm doing (phsyics), I really want a good job (not nessesarilly in pay, but something cool, like NASA), I get paid to go to school if I keep my GPA up (scholarships), and I don't want to fuck up and drop out.
Only thing that drags me down is sometimes I get depressed and its super fuck hard to work then, but now I'm on medication and that helps a lot.
Mostly, just find something you really like and studying every day gets so much easier.
Edit, also if you're near the school, to back so you can keep studying.
Only thing that drags me down is sometimes I get depressed and its super fuck hard to work then, but now I'm on medication and that helps a lot.
Mostly, just find something you really like and studying every day gets so much easier.
Edit, also if you're near the school, to back so you can keep studying.
Shadowdude
Neo Member
I think about my shitty job stocking a freezer at Sam's Club, and realize that that's all I'm looking forward to if I don't bust ass now.
I've rarely missed homework in the 2 years I've been at college, and never missed a project.
I've rarely missed homework in the 2 years I've been at college, and never missed a project.
Thelonelykoopa
Member
Go to a library
If you need your laptop forget the mouse its a temptation to wander.
Get shit done.
If you need your laptop forget the mouse its a temptation to wander.
Get shit done.
i'm an older student so i have the perspective of seeing what life is like outside of school, which is probably one of the main things.
that said, it's way easier for me to focus if i go out and take care of my shit somewhere else, so i'll go to the library or a coffee shop, throw on rain nose on my headphones, and bang on something for hours at a time. helps a shitload.
that said, it's way easier for me to focus if i go out and take care of my shit somewhere else, so i'll go to the library or a coffee shop, throw on rain nose on my headphones, and bang on something for hours at a time. helps a shitload.
torre_avenue
Banned
Honestly? It's fear of failure. I'm rather insecure, and I'm worried that people will look down on me if I have shitty grades. This is exacerbated by the fact that many of the people I know are brilliant (Indian private school for two years woot woot) and got into Ivy League schools, while I'm in one that is definitely known but not for its academics.
That, plus the fact my parents are paying an obscene amount of money (even by college standards) to send me here, just snaps me back to reality when I think about skipping a class or not doing a homework.
In addition, it's also just me being really hard on myself. I can't stand going into a test underprepared, so I'd rather stay up till 4 AM and thoroughly know everything for an 8 AM test, than sleep at midnight, kind of sure in what I know.
Asian parenting really does a number on how you study and how driven you become.
That, plus the fact my parents are paying an obscene amount of money (even by college standards) to send me here, just snaps me back to reality when I think about skipping a class or not doing a homework.
In addition, it's also just me being really hard on myself. I can't stand going into a test underprepared, so I'd rather stay up till 4 AM and thoroughly know everything for an 8 AM test, than sleep at midnight, kind of sure in what I know.
Asian parenting really does a number on how you study and how driven you become.
Growing up in India, under a brutal, cutthroat education system with the mentality that grades are everything, even if you have to mindlessly mug up shit, getting a near 4.0 GPA in the U.S. was not a problem for me throughout university, it happened out of extinct with the pressure and extreme fear over getting lower grades.
Its after I graduated and entered the real world that I see the flaws of education system that gives so much credence to grades and tests. Grades don't mean shit, and they didn't help me get a better job.
Its after I graduated and entered the real world that I see the flaws of education system that gives so much credence to grades and tests. Grades don't mean shit, and they didn't help me get a better job.
torre_avenue
Banned
I went to an Indian school for my last two years of high school, and I really do agree. Going there, you'd see people basically trying to game the system for exams. There was a question bank available full of all the IB questions, and our teachers would make up the exams using stuff from the bank and modifying things slightly. Studying for these things was an exercise in memorizing mark schemes and looking for the most exam-like questions in the bank. One girl in my physics class who knew jack shit about physics managed to get a 7 in the class by gaming the system and kissing up to the teacher. I hated learning like that because you learn exactly what to do without knowing why you do it. There was an article in the NYT about Indian workers replacing American workers in a Toys R Us division that I felt really summed up the mentality of Indian students
It's an education designed around memorization and recitation with no effort to understand why things happen or see how things interact. It punishes those who wish to be creative, and rewards those who can game the system. It's the reason why India pushes out millions of engineers and doctors a year, with close to no artistic or creative people. Sorry about the rant, but it sort of just came out.
Fancy Clown
Member
I didn't have to study all that much since I was a film major and most of my classes didn't involve exams, but when I had papers and stuff to write I would force myself to go out to a cafe or library, but I would treat myself with a coffe, good snack (or lunch/breakfast on the weekend) and then play some tunes and get in the zone for a few hours. Ended up getting into a routine with it, often going with a friend for extra motivation, and then once you make a habit of it it gets a lot easier, and you feel a lot better the rest of the day when you can chill out.
I'm very easily motivated to study thanks to the work ethic I was brought up with, but really, think about it. A degree is the most permanent thing you can possibly do to benefit your life. It cannot divorce you, it cannot be stolen from you. It boosts your potential income possibilities for life. It dies with you. There's not much else on earth that's worth being motivated for that isn't human.
For me, getting my engineering degree meant starting out life with at least a $70,000/year salary, and school was the most miserable thing I had ever endured, so despite burnout, I was gonna study whatever the hell it took to finish those classes and get my degree. And now I am reaping those rewards.
So stick with it.
For me, getting my engineering degree meant starting out life with at least a $70,000/year salary, and school was the most miserable thing I had ever endured, so despite burnout, I was gonna study whatever the hell it took to finish those classes and get my degree. And now I am reaping those rewards.
So stick with it.
Yep and that doesn't surprise me. Those who stray from the system are punished, creativity isn't fostered. People say U.S.'s school system is lagging because they seem to lose some random olympiad to Indians or Chinese, but as someone who has been on both sides of the spectrum, I absolutely prefer U.S. schooling system. Relatively speaking, grades are not a matter of life and death here. And the schooling here does so much better in recognizing abilities in sports, creativity and letting children foster and develop themselves in more varied spectrums of life.
I've heard CBSE recently brought changes to lessen the pressure on 10th year board exams, since the newspapers used to be filled with students committing suicides a day after their exam marks would release.
When I was in college I would study with friends. Friends that wanted to pass the class. We would organize a time (usually before class) and get together to study. Then we would just walk into class with the material fresh in our minds.
Sure there were distractions and we had fun joking around. However, we still got our study in and made studying interesting. We made studying into an opportunity to hangout and learn instead of making it a chore.
The location we chose was usually in front or near our class. That way we could remember where we were and what we were doing there.
Sure there were distractions and we had fun joking around. However, we still got our study in and made studying interesting. We made studying into an opportunity to hangout and learn instead of making it a chore.
The location we chose was usually in front or near our class. That way we could remember where we were and what we were doing there.
I'm reading his other book on the topic right now. Good advice so far.
DarkHeartedKill
Member
If you are interested in the classes and just can't find the motivation try doing study groups with those classmates, they may help you stay focused.
You can try energy drinks if you want, be warned though, some people can't handle it. For example I can drink a can of Monster, and not get shaky or anything. A friend drinks half a can and he shakes like crazy. Energy drinks do help with focusing though, but you end up in a crash and in a worse state you were in previously so there's that to consider.
Another thing you can try is study for like 45min-1hr and then take a 15min snack break, reward yourself in some way. Then do another 45min-1hr and again 15min break. If you find 45min to be too long try shorter study periods like 20min with a 5min break and work your way up.
You can try energy drinks if you want, be warned though, some people can't handle it. For example I can drink a can of Monster, and not get shaky or anything. A friend drinks half a can and he shakes like crazy. Energy drinks do help with focusing though, but you end up in a crash and in a worse state you were in previously so there's that to consider.
Another thing you can try is study for like 45min-1hr and then take a 15min snack break, reward yourself in some way. Then do another 45min-1hr and again 15min break. If you find 45min to be too long try shorter study periods like 20min with a 5min break and work your way up.
Evo Shandor
Member
I have to schedule time in an agenda for studying and just fucking do it. The ability to overcome boredom is becoming rarer over time but worth developing. The feeling of accomplishment and pride as your small tasks accumulate, gathering momentum, is also one of the best feelings you can have so keep that in mind as you browse the net.
Regardless of the future status of your program completion, do not forget the future of paying off student loans and how your major hopefully helped you pay them off more easily than otherwise.
Regardless of the future status of your program completion, do not forget the future of paying off student loans and how your major hopefully helped you pay them off more easily than otherwise.
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