Suggestions For Becoming A More Motivated Student

Here are some suggestions for you gathered from students who have succeeded in college:

• Consult self-help books to help you set and achieve goals.

• If you have already selected a major field of study, confer with recent graduates or students nearing graduation to identify the best teachers, the most worthwhile courses, and what other campus activities you might consider pursuing. If you are having difficulty selecting a major, check out books on careers and college majors.

• Begin by separating wishes ("I want to win the lottery.") and dreams ("I would like to be tall.") from goals.

• Build your own study space. Many college study guides provide useful suggestions about personalizing your study space. You need a place that contains all the supplies and materials you need to study effectively and efficiently. If you have to search for paper clips, rulers, staplers, and other materials when they are needed, you are either not going to use them, or you are going to waste a lot of time. Either way, the time and effort you put into your studying is going to be diluted.

• It helps to think in terms of short-term rather than long-term goals. Focus on your short-term goals and your enabling goals. By achieving these, you are on your way to accomplishing your long-term goals. Start with what you are going to do today to achieve your goals.