How to Not Lose Motivation in College

Each of us is asked from an early age who we would like to be when we grow up. The earliest possible answers were full of childhood hopes and dreams: an astronaut, a fireman, a superhero, a princess, or an inventor. But, the older we got the more we thought about this issue.

Teenagers bear a great responsibility for choosing their future craft. Often this choice is accompanied by pressure from their parents. In high school, a lot of people start to panic about what to do next. Lucky are those who have long known who they wanted to be and have chosen the perfect college right after graduation.

However, even those who know exactly where to go, can face a loss of motivation. Most often, this happens in the very first year. College workload is different from school workload and many students simply cannot cope with it.

Burnout occurs mainly before the first finals week. The huge number of assignments that need to be completed on time puts pressure on students. At such moments, many resort to googling ‘write a paper for me’ or pulling all nighters. While the first option can get you a perfectly tailored essay sample, the second one can make you late to class or just unproductive.

Why Do Students Lose Motivation?

Loss of motivation is a common occurrence among students. This process is also known as burnout. The reasons for this can be very different. When such a period reaches a critical point, it is almost impossible for a person to regain the desire to continue learning further.

Work load

The most common cause of burnout is a large and unusual amount of work to be done. A student who has moved out to college from their parents is forced to become more independent. Much more responsibility than before falls on them.

Now you must think about what to eat and how to cook, find time to do laundry, clean up the room, deal with homework, and have time to somehow socialize, make friends and maybe just do nothing sometimes. Many who are not adapted to an independent life struggle in the very first months.

There are no more parents nearby who could help with any of these matters. A large number of responsibilities and homework leads to chronic sleep deprivation and stress. As a result, students simply don’t want to progress with their studies. It seems to them that they made a mistake in their choice and simply cannot cope with all this.

Teachers

Teachers play a special role in motivating students. If a teacher is interested in what they are doing, then they will be able to inspire students. Even the most boring lesson can be taught in a way that inspires interest.

A college educator should not forget that they used to be a student, too and how they wanted to be anywhere, but not at school. The main task is to be interested and correctly explain the material. Unfortunately, it often happens differently.
Students, or rather, teenagers, can be very stubborn. If they have conflict situations with teachers, they can resist and go for the principal, not doing the work. They only make it worse for themselves, of course.

In any case, a college professor is obligated to remain wise. A large proportion of how much students will be interested in learning depends on it. First of all, they are a mentor who needs to know when to praise, inspire, or, on the contrary, show firmness.

Self-esteem and failure

Self-esteem is an important factor in shaping the personality of every person. For young people and students in particular, it can fluctuate almost every day and depends on many factors. Strict parents, high academic requirements, failure in relationships – all this affects one’s self-esteem and further motivation.

If a person is presented with high demands for his or her success from childhood, then sooner or later they get tired of it. Endless demands, lack of support, and dissatisfaction with the results lead to a complete rejection of action.

Of course, parents do it only with the best intentions. However, at the same time, sometimes they don’t even think about how harmful their actions can be. It is important for a person to feel support and understanding. Then, he or she will want to achieve more without fear of making a mistake.

Frequent failures also force you to give up and abandon your goals. Incidentally, this applies not only to students. Adults sometimes give up halfway to their dreams after suffering a series of setbacks. Mistakes are just experiences that will lead to the desired result.

How to stay motivated

Many people don’t perceive the loss of motivation as a serious problem. However, this can lead to hasty decisions and actions that could have been avoided. Without motivation and aspiration, a person loses interest in life. It is very important, especially for a young student, to understand in time what to do with it.

How not to lose motivation, here are some simple tips:

Remember the reason why the choice was made in favor of this college

In a series of stressful events, students often begin to doubt why they chose this direction. At such moments, you need to calm down and remember what motivated you to pay attention to this institution and profession.

It is important to remember that there are difficulties along any path. To achieve goals, you need to overcome them and not forget about striving. When you have a clear goal, it will fuel and motivate you to move on.

Find like-minded people and support

In college, we meet friends – the same students who, for some reason, ended up in the same place as us. By communicating, students can encourage each other and help in the learning process. When we are in the company of like-minded people, it means that there is someone near us who understands us and always supports us.

You can get together and help each other prepare for the exam, explain a difficult topic to those who don’t understand it. One person’s positive attitude can motivate another. It’s so important to know that you are not alone.

You need difficulties to overcome them

Nothing will come of it if you give up on every failure. It’s unpleasant when something doesn’t work out. A work you’ve been preparing for several days may be unsuccessful, but its no reason to drop out.

It is better to remember the moments when everything worked out and to believe in yourself again. Not everything in life is easy and you often have to work on mistakes. Don’t hesitate to talk to the teacher about extra classes if something is not clear. On the contrary, it will show your willingness to work and strive for the best result.

Healthy sleep and personal time

Hard work is good, but don’t forget about yourself. It is important to learn how to properly allocate your time so that there is enough for both study and leisure. The brain needs a break from endless textbooks and activities.
Chatting with friends, walking outside and getting enough sleep will help you relax and recharge your batteries. Excessive stress only leads to stress, and not to the desired result.

Wrapping Up

We all face doubts about whether we made the right choice and whether we need to continue along this path. At such moments, you need to relax, allow yourself to rest and remind yourself why you are here.