These days, students pursuing a degree have to deal with high standards and a quite hectic pace. Numerous subjects, maybe a side job, or even a kid. Life can simply get in the way, and, poof, the motivation to keep on going goes up in smoke! However, a day or two of a bad mood is not something we mean here.
The motivation may disappear for such a long time that one might think they do not need the degree at all. According to the Education Data Initiative, about 33% of US college students end up dropping out of school. In some states, this number goes up to 40% and higher. The reasons (in descending order) are as follows:
- financial pressure;
- family matters;
- not the right fit;
- lack of time;
- health issues;
- employment change;
- changes in the program venue.
One thing is clear here: if you do not feel that the chosen degree is your cup of tea, there may be no reason to look for inspiration. Dropping out may be the only option here to save your money, time, and effort. Yet, this reason counts only for 30% of dropouts, and what about the rest? Well, there might not be a remedy for every issue on the list above. Still, we can definitely help you overcome the majority of those and finish your degree!
Ask For Help
If judgment or risk of being caught is something that bugs you, remember that asking for some help is always okay, especially when, without this help, you expose yourself to things like:
- sleep deprivation;
- excessive consumption of energetic drinks;
- poor nutrition;
- taking upon yourself too many responsibilities.
All of these pose a risk to your health. And what concerns the risk of getting caught – this matter is treated seriously by professional writing services. For instance, experts from WritePaper offer students paper writing service and ensure full confidentiality and that they follow your style of writing. So, unless you choose a writing service randomly, you are safe.
Talk to Senior Students
Do you know what can save you lots of time? Not wasting it on useless stuff. Yeah, it’s that simple. But how can a first-year student know whether they really don’t have to sweat it when it comes to some classes and assignments? When you are new to all of this, every minor thing may seem quite serious.
Luckily, some people have already gone through this hell, so why not ask them for some tips? Senior students may share a bunch of hacks first-year students simply can’t come up with due to lack of experience.
So, reach out to a couple of those, establish the connection, and ask them about the teachers who bother you and what they really need from students. Ask about the classes you don’t really have to visit or vice versa. Sometimes, you may even get help with exam preparation and use the time to revise (or study) the material instead of collecting it for several days first.
Thoroughly Think About the Opportunities Your Major Gives You
Life is about continuous learning. A college or university major gives you the core knowledge that is hard to obtain by yourself. So, motivation can also come from realizing not-so-evident opportunities of yours.
Sure, as soon as you complete your major, you can barely hope that perfect job offers will be thrown at you. Yet, if you have a minor in another subject, you may become twice as much sought-after, and lack of experience won’t matter. For instance, the following combinations will take you to a new level:
- physics/math + philosophy;
- international studies + journalism;
- environmental studies + public policy;
- sociology + business analytics;
- applied math + computer science;
- marketing + design;
- communications studies + HRM.
This list can go on for other 50+ entries. The point is, whatever major you complete, it won’t be enough for the rest of your life. Every job you will apply for will presuppose learning new things. However, without the major, the opportunities to expand your knowledge are scarce.
Today, many companies offer training even if you do not know anything about this or that technology, method, or subject, provided that those are not key for your position. In addition, if there is a candidate who doesn’t need to be trained, they will always be considered first.
So, before giving up on your degree, list the advantages it will give you when it comes to building your career. Whether it is about not struggling with jobs due to the lack of core knowledge or about getting job offers because of a major-minor combination that is in demand, it is much better than nothing.
Use Your Free Time For Your Own Good
Avoiding burnout is one of the key goals students should have. When you feel exhausted physically or/and emotionally, it might be the worst. Motivational speeches and analyzing perks of the degree can barely do good in this case.
Therefore, do take care of your basic needs and spend your free time as if you are on holiday. Do something different from your usual activities because routine is capable of draining even the most motivated and cheerful person in the world.
Improve Your Time Management
This is where hard work kicks in. To actually have free time, you need to fight procrastination. Otherwise, all the free time will be spent with the feeling of guilt and the rest – trying to keep up with all tasks and chores when being pressed for time, hence stress.
Self-discipline is probably the hardest aspect of success, so use all the possible means you can find out there. Ask for tips from the most organized people you know, but the point is not to employ all of them. Follow the ones that you deem the right fit for you. For some people, it’s a physical copy of a planner, for others – their Google calendar that reminds them about every minor thing.
How Bad Do You Want It?
Well, there is one more thing you can do if none of the above works:
- Ask yourself how bad you really want this degree.
- Do not confuse it with how much energy or time you have for it.
- Forget about the resources for a moment.
Those who want that degree so much it hurts usually come up with extremely inventive solutions, even when it is about financial matters – probably the most problematic ones.
Wrapping Up
So, here you have the basic tips you should use when thinking about whether staying in college is worth it and trying to find the inspiration to keep on going. As said above, finding the motivation – the reason to do so – is one of the key things.
The majority of issues can be handled provided you are ready to fight for your goal. Highly-motivated people are able to reshape their schedule and whole way of living to reach their goals. They are able to find new and more effective ways of handling assignments, chores, and issues they may face. And you can also be one of them!
