It’s the start of the academic year, so many of you may not have even thought about revision, essays or going over your lecture materials yet. However, before you know it, the end of the term will loom and all those deadlines that seemed so far away? Well, suffice to say writing ten thousand words the night before is never a fun night. Nor will your lecturers enjoy the red line-riddled mess.
So, you need to start the study game early and get on top of your workload. Here at CityBlock we know that finding the motivation to do so is easier said than done. How do you find the motivation to study? Better yet, how do you stay motivated?
Procrastination is the Enemy
Oh, that new Marvel film is out! The latest Game of Thrones episode! Someone just posted an amazing meme on Facebook! All of these are very important endeavours, but are they as important as your grades? That is the question you have to ask yourself.
Procrastination is a dark and winding path which will leave you dazed and confused at the end of it. Where did four hours of your life go? Really, who knew it was possible to actually watch paint dry for that long. At the end of the day, you will always find things to do that seem more important or more fun than the studying you should be doing.
Reward Yourself
Success is usually followed by a reward. If you do well in your job you are given a promotion, if you do particularly well in a sporting competition you win a medal, and if you study hard you get good grades. However, to give yourself that bit more motivation you can also reward every milestone.
This could be if you do well on a mock exam (without cheating!) or get a good peer review on an essay. Or even if you just spend an hour going over your notes. Everyone must start somewhere, after all!
The reward you give yourself is entirely dependent on you. Chocolate, an hour of television or even reading a good book. If it floats your boat, go for it. But make sure you get the work in beforehand! Rewarding lack of effort is a sure-fire way to experience disappointment.
Do a Little Every Day
You don’t have to suddenly turn into a motivational superhero; causing people to get up and go with a single touch. Start small and read over a lecture or two. Write a few hundred words of your essay, complete a few practice equations or even just read the course material. Jumping into a mountain of work all at once can be stressful, so pace it all out to create an achievable workload that doesn’t have you giving up at the first hurdle.
And remember:
“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” – Confucius
Everyone learns at their own pace. We all know someone who can revise the day before the exam and be A-Okay, don’t worry you don’t have to aspire to be that person. Learn at your own pace and the reward will be the same no matter the path you take!
Group learning can also be a great motivational tool. You will often find that you do a lot more when in a group, as you are influenced by the other people and the little you planned to do actually turns into a lot!
Have a Goal
Setting yourself a target can be one of the best ways to motivate yourself. You can assess how far you have come and have a tangible way to determine how far you need to go. Something simple such as getting a better mark on your next mock work, or even getting a better grade on marked work by your lecturers. The goal could even be to just start work that day. You will be surprised at how quickly your goals can grow as you become more motivated and smarter at studying.
At the end of the day, motivating yourself to do well can be a hard job in the modern world. There are many distractions and fun things to do, but setting out to do well and being proactive can be a great advantage for your motivational efforts this year!
Struggling to find a space that helps you study? Then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at CityBlock to book your very own student accommodation in Lancaster. We have brilliantly quiet accommodation, allowing you to get your heard down and achieve the grades of your dreams! Call us on 01524 541251 to secure your room today!
