How to stay motivated in your school work

Everyday college students have so much on their plate whether it’s school work, jobs, clubs, or their social life. Many find it difficult to balance all of these and will skip class or just not do an assignment. This is a very bad habit and can create many hardships later down the road. Why not finish all of your stuff on time and not feel stressed?

Procrastinating will hurt you mentally and physically. You will probably spend many hours or an all nighter on an assignment that was given two weeks ago rather than splitting it up in portions within the time frame. Procrastinating all your work will make you feel stressed and often times it makes me want to give up. However, not all students are the same and some enjoy the last minute adrenaline before an assignment is due and can get it done. To those who do not enjoy putting everything to the last minute to get that rush, I highly suggest in creating a list or writing in your planner of what assignments are due.
I like to mark my due dates and split up my weekly work so I don’t feel overwhelmed. When you’re getting your assignments done, you feel accomplished and relieved. That feeling will make you less stressed and want to stay on top of your school work instead of letting it slide.

Another tip to stay motivated in your school work is to find an environment that will allow you to focus and not get easily distracted. Whether it’s studying with a partner in your room, or alone in a coffee shop, finding the important place is vital for a student to get their work done.

How to not procrastinate

Procrastination always hits college students and that feeling towards the end where you’re trying to cram in an assignment is very stressful and rushed. Although not all students may feel that way, a majority of us do.

Some tips to prevent yourself from procrastinating are to find a good study space, split up your work load, and set short term goals for yourself. I find that splitting up my workload helps me so much in not procrastinating. For example, for this online class I split up the weekly assignments by the readings/quizzes one day, a discussion post another day, and other miscellaneous tasks other days. I like to work on at least one thing from each my classes every night so I am on track and not behind.

I also make short term goals for myself. For example, I will set a goal that I want all of my weekly assignments done by Thursday so I can enjoy my weekend without thinking about school. I like to set short term goals like that because it motivates me to get my work done before the weekend so I can relax and enjoy it much better than stressing about the assignments I haven’t done. This helps me from not procrastinating until the last minute and it motivates me to reach my goal.

A good study space also plays a huge role in not procrastinating. Finding the perfect environment that will enhance your ability to focus plays a huge difference in not procrastinating. If you’re sitting in a crowded and loud room you might not be able to think clearly or comprehend what you’re trying to read. Therefore, finding somewhere where you can lock your head into what needs to be done is a game changer for being on top of your school work.

How has technology changed our education?

Technology is evolving every day and many universities, even high schools, are transitioning their paperwork/readings/quizzes to online versions. Having access to textbooks, journals, quizzes, readings, etc. all on one device is very efficient and sustainable. Instead of cutting down trees and using so many pieces of paper a few times during a semester is not worth it. I find that technology has made our education more innovative and helpful for students in this society.

I use my iPad in class probably every day. I use it to look at powerpoints and I also like to write on it while the teacher is lecturing. This allows me to make little notes about each slide instead of taking time and writing every bullet point on a piece of paper. I find that writing on a piece of paper wastes a lot of time and especially if your teacher moves at a fast pace, you won’t be able to get every bit of information. I also like to use my iPad to type my notes on the notability app. I like typing more than writing on paper in class because I type faster and it allows me to look back at my legible notes instead of looking at messy, rushed, handwriting on a loose leaf.

Technology has made us smarter and more efficient of our resources. We’re not only saving our planet but also teaching students a new form of learning that is just as or more beneficial.