Fighting those Mid-Semester Lows
The semester started off good. You were motivated and had all of the fancy pens and planner to make this year great! It’s not that you can’t remember why you felt that way but you just can’t seem to muster the same energy for some reason. Or maybe classes are feeling more difficult, boring, draining, etc. Whatever the reason, setting a goal often means overcoming some low points in the journey. Consider some of the following tips to work through this period of time.
Remember, it’s normal. The pattern of starting something with excitement only to feel less than enthusiastic in the middle of it is just how hard things go. Once the adrenaline wears off, we are stuck with just grit to get us through and many of the fears that we were able to ignore rear their ugly heads and try to convince us that we should give up. We all face this so take comfort that others have overcome and you can, too!
Keep your goals close. Remember to have clear and specific goals with you always. Put them on your lock screen or taped to your laptop. If you aren’t sure what a SMART goal is, look that up and make sure your goals can be measured and has a timeline. But most importantly, make sure the goal is yours. When we try to take on the goals of our parents or peers, it is hard to maintain momentum. It needs to be something close to your heart, aligned to your core values and when you think about it, you feel compelled to act.
Talk about your struggles. One easy thing to do is talk with a friend, parent or classmate about your struggles. While it can be annoying to hear advice you already know, you might pick up something useful. It’s also okay to find someone to just vent to. Make sure they know you are just venting and don’t need advice. Either process can help you clarify the problem and glean possible solutions. Talking about your issues also gives others permission to do the same and when we collectively work together, we create the relatedness that often motivates action.
Switch it up. Consider taking 30 minutes to plan out a new schedule. Move some study session locations, buy a pack of new highlighters or watch a TED talk on motivation and incorporate the tips. Treat the week ahead like the first week of school, revisit your syllabi and make an effort to check on new places on campus. Get that new year feeling again to help spark the same sensations that made you so excited to be here in the first place.
Whatever you do, don’t stop! Even if you decide college isn’t for you or you want to change schools or majors, finishing the term is key to your success. Don’t forget to ask for help, see your advisor to plan for the next term if you haven’t already and realize that you are among a great group of people that have committed to something that takes a lot of work with a lifetime of rewards.
