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There comes a time during every academic year when I completely lose motivation. Now is that time.
I tend to start off the year with energy and ambition, but the pressure, workload and redundancy of going to school and work eventually take those away.
I can even use this article as an example. I am not afraid to admit that I have been struggling to come up with good topics for weeks now.
Every week, I sit in my dorm racking my brain for article-worthy material or ideas and end up settling for something that is admittedly below my usual standard.
I try to make a habit of writing about problems and topics that I think others can easily identify with, so why not write an article about my annual burnout?
Everyone has heard of the sophomore slump, that period during your sophomore year where you lack motivation, direction and vigor.
From what I have learned and observed over the last three years, I think a lot of students suffer a mild (or serious) case at one point or another every year.
Mine tends to happen around February or March. The weather is still cold and, if you live in Chicago like me, it’s cold for way longer than it should be.
The workload starts to get a little more hefty as professors assign midterms and intense finals, papers and projects. And by this point, you’ve been doing the same thing day in and day out for close to seven months.
I wake up in the same dorm, eat the same food from the cafeteria, go to the same classes to see the same professors and classmates, do relatively similar assignments each day, go to sleep and do it all over again.
The easy fix would be to go out and do something different around town, but every busy college student knows that aside from weekends (and sometimes not even then) there’s barely any time for that.
At this point, the end is in sight, but it’s not quite close enough to be excited about it. There’s still so much to get done before you get a nice, long break. It’s easy to lose steam. I can only speak for myself, so I am interested to see if other students experience a similar pattern and how they handle it.
I have very few methods of getting myself through the final months of school other than pushing myself to do what I need to do and reminding myself why I am here in the first place.
My only advice would be to give yourself a little something to look forward to each day or, at the very least, each week. It’s easy to think you’re unhappy just because you’re not thrilled with your day to day life, at the moment, but that’s not the case.
It’s ok to be bored and worn out. You may love your major and have a passion for your future career, but you’re not going to love every moment of your schooling. I doubt that everyone does. Although we are creatures of habit, very strict routines can rob you of your vigor and motivation.
Try to change your routine, even if it’s just eating out, going to see a movie or taking a few minutes to video chat or call friends and family. It is of utmost importance that during these times you do not quit.
Believe me, it is beyond tempting to abandon everything you’ve worked on for the past few months or years in search of something more exciting and fulfilling, but you are likely to regret it in the future.
It may seem meaningless right now, but someday you are going to thank yourself for staying the course in this exact moment.
No one’s goal in life is to simply “get through it”, it’s not glamorous, exciting or heroic, but thinking more realistically, sometimes that is just what has to be done. Oprah Winfrey says she lives her life by this motto, “Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do.”
Every day brings you closer to your goal, keep going!
Bridget Goedke
Senior Viewpoints Editor
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