How to Stay Motivated Through the End of the Semester

By Mackenzi Hockensmith

We are only a few days away from the official beginning of spring, which means warmer weather and finals season are upon us. As soon as it gets nice outside, motivation automatically drops to an all-time low, but assignments continue to pile up. Here are a few tips to help you stay motivated through the end of the semester:

Make lists: Lists are your best friend when it comes to staying organized and up to date with everything going on. Not only is the spring busy but with the nice wheater, it is a great time to go into the city and explore, or hang out outside. There may be a lot going on and you’ll likely get distracted. Having a to-do list will help you visualize everything you need to get done, and checking those items off will feel amazing!
Plan your week: I find that planning out my week based on what assignments are due really helps. I give myself 2-3 assignments a day so I end up doing about only an hour or two of homework each day. This may not apply to all your school work, but it makes everything seem much more achievable and less overwhelming. Again, having the visual element will help you manage your time better because you’ll see when you have to get stuff done.
Work out: It’s so beautiful outside, you could go for a run or head to the gym for a quick workout! Not only is exercise a great stress reliever, but you will come back with your adrenaline pumping and ready to get things done. On Temple’s campus, there are so many ways to get that workout in. You can go to the IBC and take some fitness classes, TUF for your traditional gym layout, or STAR for the very nice outdoor track.
Set goals: If you don’t set goals for yourself, it may feel like you are just going in circles and achieving nothing. Setting goals let you see exactly what you are accomplishing and that your hard work and effort is paying off. It’s great to have both short and long term goals to help keep you motivated and to continue pushing yourself towards completing them. Don’t set yourself up for failure! If you have a big long term goal you want to achieve, give yourself smaller ones that will lead you to the big one!
Treat yourself: Give yourself little incentives to keep going whether it’s lunch at Richie’s, getting your eyebrows and nails done, or my personal favorite treat; ice cream! We need to take care of ourselves to get through those hard assignments and weeks. Keeping your mental health and well being as the main priority when work seems to be swallowing you whole, will make for a happier, more productive you! As they say, when you look good, you feel good!