Dear Mom,
The good news is that the summer semester is almost over-the bad news is that I have run out of steam. When some of my friends are going places, literally, I am stuck doing homework or studying for one test or another. I can’t even stay awake to read. I know you’ve talked about study habits before, like not waiting until the last minute to do your homework and stuff like that, but I would like to know how to keep going when you’re missing everything.
Sincerely,
Bummed
Dear Bummed,
There is nothing worse than working when you see everyone else having fun, but that’s why you’re in college. Having said that, I don’t believe you need to be a hermit and completely hate your life. You need to continue to work hard, yes, but you don’t need to become a slave to it. Let me explain what I mean.
The weather is nice outside, so I would make the best of it. I wouldn’t sit in doors all day reading and studying. I would make a trip outside. Even if you have to study, you can enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. I am rejuvenated when I spend some time with the flowers, when I drink in the fresh air.
Go outside the campus doors. Take advantage of the grass, the benches, the outside places to eat.
Travel to a local park. Sit under a tree. Have some lunch.
Go up to the mountains for an afternoon hike.
Sit in your own backyard.
Make a list of 10 reasons you are going to school. Tack the list up by your bed or bathroom mirror; a place you will see it every day.
After finishing an assignment, reward yourself with an ice-cream cone or other treat. If you make it a healthy treat, that’s even better.
Take 15 minutes and call a friend.
I have said this one before but it bears repeating; take needed breaks every two hours or so. You need time to stretch your legs and calm your brain. Ever read a page and not know what you’ve read? It’s time to take a break.
Go swimming. Bring your books and read them while you’re tanning.
Go to the zoo with a friend. Take along your books. At lunch, find some shade to read for a while.
Write the first draft of your paper while talking into a tape recorder. Many people find that verbalizing their thoughts opens their minds to new ideas and prevents writer’s block.
Spend a half an hour or so helping someone else with his or her homework-you’ll be amazed what the service will do for you.
In the end, studying is one of those things you really can’t get away from, but the good news is you can make it better, and even a bit more fun. Instead of dreaming about being somewhere else, be positive about where you are now. Thinking positively is perhaps the best thing you can do.
Love,
Mom
