I know most of you won’t agree with me on this, but the spring semester is the worst. I feel like all motivation is drained, students are stressed, and spring break is overrated. I find myself losing that new year inspiration and find myself in an allergy and stress riddled rut. Here’s what I do to make sure that I stay on top of my academics, home life, and happiness.

1. Remember your goals.

Write down your goals. Make a solid plan. Put sticky notes on your mirror. Make your goals your phone background. Do anything you possibly can to make sure you remember why you started, why you are doing what you’re doing, and the end result. Visualize where you were this time last year and visualize where you want to be next year. If what you’re doing increases your quality of life in any way, it’s worth it. Stick with it.

2. Your grades matter.

This time in the semester I start to lose a little bit of academic push. I start to feel like the classes I’m taking don’t matter. That couldn’t be further from the truth. You have to remember that every class you are taking right now is preparing you for the career you have decided you want to pursue. No one wants to be mediocre at their job, so if you want to rise through the ranks, you have to put in the work. Put in the effort now to understand the material you are studying now so that you are well equipt when it comes to the future.

3. You made resolutions for a reason.

This goes hand-in-hand with reason 1, but on a deeper level. We, as humans, always have something we could work on to better ourselves. We made resolutions at the beginning of the new year because we had something that resonated with us so deeply we felt the need to make a change. Are you still not happy? make that change.

4. Keep things interesting.

Ruts are often a result of tedious routines and an intense lack of variation. Find a new place or way to study. Try a new look. Cut your hair. Whatever works for you to introduce a new, productive way to keep your interest in a time of monotonous routine, do it! There is something quite invigorating about finding new ways to do old things. Try flash cards instead of mounds of notes. Chop off 6 inches and dye your hair purple. Wear light pink instead of black. Try a new Instagram theme. Little things that make life exciting.

5. Support others as well as yourself.

Having a good support system is something that I am so lucky to have an utilize. Having people that understand your goals and what you need to get there will help you when you feel helpless. Tough love is necessary and I am more than happy to get a good “get your shit done” text from anyone close to me. If you don’t have a system like that, reach out to clubs and groups at your school. Make reminders for yourself. A good kick in the pants can be really helpful to reboot your inspiration.

Always look to better yourself. I am not superhuman, I lose motivation too. But, I remember my endgame goals and I keep going. At the same time, listen to your body. If you need a nap, take a nap. Eat that cheat meal. You’ll be ok. You’ve got this.

Photo by Randalyn Hill on Unsplash