What is the best way to stay motivated for college as a senior?

Christi,

It sounds like you have a case of "senioritis!" However, in looking at your other question, it appears you are wanting to go to medical school. If so, I suggest you remind yourself that you need to keep your eye on the prize - finishing college is just the midway point. While it is an accomplishment of which you should be proud, you have not reached the end. The material you are learning this semester is probably important to your future studies, and it's definitely important to your grades!

My final semester was pure torture! I took two electives that I thought would be fun and enjoyable. NoT! Geology and Colonial American History. Those two classes constituted half of all my C's! I wish I could tell you some magical solution. But, I don't know of any. Sometimes you sort of have to just keep reminding yourself of why you are doing it, put your nose to the grindstone, and push on.

I want to add, if you are having serious problems staying motivated, it's possible you might want to re-think medical school. I don't mean to sound negative, but medical school is really hard work, and will require a whole lot of ability to "push through" when you think you can't possibly "go" anymore.

I wish you the best in whatever decisions you make!

Kim

Great Question. I graduated college last year and went through some of the same struggles that you seem to be going through at the moment. Senioritis happens to everyone to varying degrees so don't feel like you are the only one. The best way to not "fall off the wagon" is to get involved in as many activities as you can to keep busy. Down time, or time not occupied by things, can be dangerous so it is important to get involved in a club, a sport, volunteer work, a part time job etc.

Graduation may seem like a scary thing and many soon to be graduates can feel lost or overwhelmed and that is completely natural. Remember that this is just a natural step of progression and nothing to stress out about. I equate graduation to taking the SAT/ACT; in the moment taking those tests seemed like an impossible feat but looking back, I placed way more pressure onto myself than was necessary.

Keep your chin up and take a breath, everyone else is going through the same thing and you have your friends and family to help you through this. Talk to your friends about what they are doing and how they are coping. Ensure that your resume is neat and tidy, look into applying for your first job out of college, polish up that cover letter, and be sure to maintain a healthy diet. All of the above will keep you happy, positive, and well prepared for graduation and keep you motivated.

You will need to focus on stress and time management. In order to manage stress you have to manage your time wisely. <span style="background-color: transparent;">You have to set a routine for yourself and stick to it for the most part. Once you get into the groove of a routine it will be much easier for you to manage your time and have enough time for everything you need to do (including relaxing). Make yourself to-do lists on a weekly basis, use Google calendar or a planner to keep track of events, deadlines, and due dates. In addition to setting a routine and sticking to it, plan out relaxing activities into your day. Or set aside a time, after everything is done for the day, that you can have "me" time. I have also personally found it essential to not only find time for myself but also make use of that time in a way that is best for me and my holistic wellness. I have found the HeadSpace app to be an essential tool in helping me relax and generally feel more relaxed throughout the day, Guided meditation, even if you have a busy schedule, will make you feel more at ease and relaxed throughout the day as a whole (not just when you have the time to relax and focus on that "me" time).</span>

<span style="background-color: transparent;">Set a routine.Use Google Calendar.Set aside Me TimeWrite weekly to-do lists and use a planner.Find a peaceful and restful activity that will help you feel relaxed.</span>