Usually during this time of year, people are full of joy that the holiday season has finally begun. With that being said, the same cannot particularly be said for college students. For some of us, this is a new experience that we have yet to understand. For others, it is a known fact that these few weeks before celebrating the holidays with family and friends can be a living nightmare.
Homework piles up, assignments seem to be doubled, studying for exams seems to take up all of our time, and our mental anxiety can make us seem insane. The one thing college students are searching for during this time of mental stress is motivation. Essentially, we are all working towards the goal of finishing the fall semester with grades that satisfy us, as well as spending the holidays with our families.
Junior social work student, Caileen Makovec spoke about motivation during this grueling time of the semester, she said, “Motivation is very important. If I’m not motivated to accomplish my goals for the end of the semester, nothing will get done.”
Makovec also stated that she tries to achieve her goals by completing set tasks at a time. She said, “Don’t let your assignments pile up, that’s the easiest way to feel the most overwhelmed.”
One crucial aspect that Makovec pointed out was that her time management is essential to succeed towards the end of the year. Without time management, Makovec states, “you will end up slacking and not doing as well as you’d like.” Motivation for Makovec is a key factor for success during this time of the school year, along with many other students.
Max Sobrano, a junior business management student, stated that motivation was one of the key parts to thrive during finals. Sobrano said, “One way I like to stay motivated is to plan ahead. I’ll plan out my day to know exactly what I need to get accomplished and the deadlines I need to meet.” Most of us are aware that planning and time management can be an imperative element towards the end of the semester.
Sobrano continued, “I schedule every day for everything that I need to get accomplished.” When asked what motivates him overall, Sobrano said, “One thing that truly motivates me is the support I receive from my parents. They always push me to keep at my goals and to accomplish the things I set my mind to.” Sobrano’s outlook towards this time of year was based on planning ahead to succeed during this time of year when most people are overwhelmed and mentally exhausted.
Finally, professor of communication, Nicholas Messina, gave his input on how motivation can be an effective way to prevail during finals. Messina has to motivate himself almost twice as much as any student due to the fact that he is a communication professor, as well as a graduate student.
Messina said, “Without motivation, you will not be able to make it through the end of the year.” Sobrano and Makovec seemed to be set on finishing assignments before their deadlines. On the contrary, Messina said, “Try not to focus so much on deadlines, it will essentially make you more overwhelmed than you need to be.”
Following this, Messina also stated that he will usually set a time for himself to take about an hour break to relax and focus on himself. “By doing this, you will be able to decompress and not feel as if you’re being engulfed by your work.” When asked about how he focuses on his time management, Messina also said, “I usually make a list for myself for the things that I need to accomplish.” With the same idea as Sobrano, Messina found that by following this method of checking off things from his list, he felt more confident which ultimately resulted in feeling more motivated.
Overall, planning ahead seemed to be a crucial element during finals. No matter if you’re making a physical list or making mental notes in your head, the idea of planning ahead to accomplish goals is a major part of success.
By planning ahead and accomplishing goals, more motivation to complete all of your tasks can be built up. Motivation during this time of year is key.
Whether this is your first time understanding the mental stress of finals or if you have dealt with this before, motivation will ultimately assist you in achieving your goals and finishing out the year strong.
PHOTO TAKEN by Campbell Lee
