10 Motivational Tips for Students
College success requires motivation. Being motivated means going to class when you do not feel
like it and studying when you would rather be doing other things. To succeed, students need to
find ways of getting and staying motivated. Following are some tips that might help you.
Keep a positive attitude. Your attitude says a lot about you, but most importantly, your teachers
and classmates form impressions of you, based on the attitudes you project. When you project a
positive attitude, people want to be around you, and they want to help you. Negative attitudes
usually drive people away. A positive attitude keeps you motivated and it makes others want to
contribute to your success. Always remind yourself: “I can do it.”
Visualize your best self. Imagining yourself being successful is a great way to set your mind for
success. When you are studying, picture yourself successfully completing your test. See yourself
being successful and your chances of success will be greater.
Set goals. Setting short and long-term goals will improve motivation by keeping you on task. Be
sure to set goals that are realistic and easily obtainable within a set period of time. Some sample
short-term goals include passing tests and courses, missing as few classes as possible, and
finishing assignments a few days before they are due. Long-term goals may include making all
“A”s in your courses or earning a degree.
Show initiative. You don’t always have to wait. Read next week’s
chapter before your teacher covers it in class. Begin a rough draft of
your next essay assignment. Organize materials for class. Take on a
project that you have been avoiding; it will give you a sense of
accomplishment.
Learn on your own. Try some math problems without any help. You
can always have a tutor or teacher to look over your work later. The
important thing is to learn to work independently. If you have book
chapters to over, read them a couple of days before class. It will only
help you get ahead.
Be open and willing to learn. Listen in class, ask questions about
assignments, and respect the viewpoints of others. Students who want to learn usually do so with
little effort. Think of knowledge as capital; the more you learn, the better you are. This attitude
will help you succeed in class and throughout your college career.
Create a good social network of successful people. Successful people are always motivated.
They always want to learn something new or find new ways to do things. These friends and
classmates will encourage you to do your best, and you can learn from their good habits. They
also make good study partners.
Don’t procrastinate – do it NOW! There’s no better time than the present to get things done.
Waiting until the last minute to begin or finish assignments causes unnecessary stress. It also
gives you very little time to find errors and make revisions. Using your time wisely means
getting projects finished before they are due.
Be responsible – don’t play the blame game. Your assignment is due, your instructor is taking
it up, and you forgot to print a copy. Be honest, tell your instructor what happened, and promise
yourself that next time you will not forget. Taking responsibility for your
actions is important. Ultimately, it’s up to you whether you are successful in
college or not. Don’t blame others when you make
mistakes; instead, hold yourself accountable and
pledge to never make the same mistake twice.
Celebrate your achievements. This is the fun part.
Whenever you accomplish goals that you have set for
yourself, reward yourself. Treat yourself to a special
meal, plan time with your friends, or give yourself a
gift each time you strike a major accomplishment
from your list of goals. Rewarding yourself for a job
well done is great motivation for finishing the tasks
you’ve set out to accomplish.