#ive been trying to wake up early and im studying again but the motivation comes and goes

[toftie]

breajking my silence

[taesthetes]

hi!! I kinda disappointed myself on the last major exam, and the next upcoming exam is also rlly important n I need it to pull up my average for this year !! however ive been feeling rlly unmotivated and tired n lazy nowadays and i think this is rlly affecting my studies.. i think the reason that ive been feeling this way is bc Im constantly surrounded by negative feelings and I kinda feel like a failure after that last exam.. so do u have any advice on how to have the motivation to study well?

hello, sweetpea!! oh god, i really know that feeling ): first of all, you are not a failure, so please don’t say that about yourself. no one is a failure if they keep on trying their best. i do understand that you feel less motivated, tired, and lazy after not doing well on a exam because i’ve been there. it’s okay to feel like that sometimes, but you need to get up and push yourself afterwards. you can’t stay in that mindset forever. i channeled all that negative energy into pushing myself to studying even harder for the next exam. honestly, my only motivation is that i’m absolutely terrified of not passing my class. but, these are some of my study tips that i found to be helpful, and hopefully, they’ll help you!

Make a list of your goals. Studies have shown that students who have a list of goals and write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them (I had to research this and write a paper about this for my engineering class). Your goal can simply be to pass a class. Write that down and put it somewhere you can see it everyday, like on the wall in front of your desk.

Think about what you can accomplish by studying and write it down. This is very similar to the first bulletpoint. For example, in my paper about my own personal goals, I said that studying will lead to improving my grades, which means I can pass the class, which means I can graduate, which means I can get a job, which means I can support myself and then finally have a dog :D

Make a schedule and stick to it. This is very important. Designate certain times to each subject and stick. to. the. schedule. Once again, studies have shown that people are more likely to study if they have a schedule written down and placed somewhere they can see it and be reminded of it. Having a planner is always useful.

Reward yourself. These little rewards are actually super motivating for me. After finishing a few hard lessons or a chapter, reward yourself. For example, indulge yourself in a yogurt parfait or your favorite coffee drink. When you accomplish a goal, give yourself a reward. You deserve it.

Find a quiet space to study with no distractions. Perhaps, use a free room in the library? Stay away from places where you might see your friends. Keep the space simple and free from distractions. for example, hide any clocks, your phone, etc. Try not to use your computer/laptop either if you can.

Make sure you have all the materials you need with you, so you won’t find excuses to get up and look for things and stop studying. Check that you have all the pens, pencils, papers, highlighters, etc. you need beforehand.

Wear comfy, plain clothes. This is actually important because if you keep fidgeting around in uncomfortable clothes or playing with sequins on your shirt or whatever, you keep getting distracted.

Eat right. Don’t skip meals to use that time for extra studying. It’s harder to remember facts and study on an empty stomach. Also, in my experience, whenever I’m studying and there’s food next to me, I just eat it regardless until the bowl is empty. So, when you’re studying, don’t put junk food next to you. Put fruits or vegetables or just eat either one when you want a snack in between studying. Eating vegetables and fruits helps you study better as well as stay healthy.

No cramming or procrastinating. We all do this. Cramming makes it harder for our brains to process everything and memorize what we just read. You should spread out your studying throughout the weeks before your exam. That way, you know all the material and will only need to review by the time the exam comes.

Don’t study with your friends. This proves only to be a distraction if you’re around your friends when studying. Actually, the best way to study would be asking your parent or an adult to test you on your material. Studying with people around your own age simply will result in no studying. And for most people, no studying means failing.

Take breaks. There is no need to feverishly study 24/7, only stopping to go to the bathroom or eat dinner. Again, studying without breaks merely stresses you out, and your brain will not be able to memorize everything. Maybe, after few lessons or every chapter, stand up and stretch. Go watch a youtube video. But make sure you watch only one, or else you’re going to end up on dog videos like three hours later.

Make up tricks to memorize your material easily. Make rhymes, song parodies, alliteration tricks, mnemonic devices, etc. to help you memorize things easier. Ex: PEMDAS (please excuse my dear aunt sally –> parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction)

Make a music playlist. This is based on personal preference though; some people study better in silence. I study much better with some sort of music playing in the background. Don’t choose music with a ton of singing or a lot of instruments playing at once. Studies show that classical music is best for studying.

Get a good night’s sleep and go to bed early. Depriving yourself of sleep by studying until 3 AM in the morning is unhealthy and in reality, it is harder for you to memorize your notes. It is actually better for you if you go to sleep early and wake up early to study. You’re more alert, and your brain is much more capable of memorizing facts.

Relax. Right before the exam is passed out, take a couple of deep breaths, replay that favorite song of yours in your head, and give yourself a little confidence! Tell yourself that you can do this and you will bomb the exam. Just calm down and push away all the stress. You’ll do just fine!

i hope you found these to be helpful! if not, you can always ask for more advice, and i shall consult my friends for more help! i hope you have a lovely day/night, and best of luck to you on your future exams, you smart cookie! 💙

sleepover time – ask me anything!