College is a tough experience. Along with all the social experiences, it's all geared towards educating yourself for a job or career. Coming out of school after spending the majority of your life there can be a bit of a shock; everyone warns you about 'self-directed learning' and how you'll have to get work done in your own time but it still doesn't mean you're ready for how hard it actually is. Here's how to get shit done in college:
Motivation
Motivation is what most students feel they struggle with. Between not enjoying a course/module and the distractions of college life in general, it can feel as though whatever motivation you had originally has deserted you completely. This, you're gonna have to remember, is perfectly natural. Motivation is just another emotion and you should know by now that it's not good to let emotions run your life. Turns out that motivation is just forgotten about in this regard.
Retaining That Motivation
Now, don't get too confused; it's great for putting certain wheels in motion. You should have a strong motivation to do something in the first place, but you can't rely on it to get yourself over the finish line. For this, you need GOOD HABITS. Humans are habitual creatures. Why do we gain bad habits, you ask? The brain craves habits but isn't actually concerned with whether they are good or bad. Take, for example, where you sit in your lectures. There are no assigned seats, but given the choice, you'll sit in the same one every time. It's like brushing your teeth; it's a habit, because it'd feel odd if you didn't do it every morning.
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Creating Habits And Setting Goals
Preventing us from breaking habits and getting shit done are the vague and unattainable goals we set for ourselves. The real obstacle we set for ourselves here is taking the wrong perspective when it comes to goal setting. Instead of seeing goals as something you just need to do, or as somewhere you need to get yourself to, we should break them down and think of them as little, individual problems that need solving. For most of us students, this probably means balancing work, a social life and getting your degree at the end of it all. At certain times during a semester, you'll find that you have a few assignments due around the same time, you're trying to hold down your part-time job and go to a family wedding (and probably a few 21st's too). How do you get around to everything? Take a step back and look at the real problem: your tendency to procrastinate. Consider a situation like this:
Goal: Get my assignments done, all the while working and attending social events.
Problem: You can't stop procrastinating.
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So you'll make a smaller, short-term goal: Stop procrastinating.
Problem: You don't know how to stop procrastinating.
New Goal: Learn how to block procrastination.
Given your tendency to put things off, you'll probably say something like: I need to find someone to teach me how to concentrate better...
So your final goal, before you're able to achieve your original goal, will be to find books/ articles/ videos that teach you techniques on avoiding procrastination and to practise them until they become habits. The secret? It generally takes between 4-6 weeks to create a long-lasting habit. Hard work, sure, but if you want something badly enough, you'll find the time.
If you've skipped to the end to see what the point of this is, remember this; your goals should always be to solve the problems blocking you from your dreams. Go forth and conquer the world, friends!
