Hello other college scholars and do-gooders,
Don’t let the second half of the semester get away from you! Push through! Self-Doubts mixed with demanding classes can be a killer for your motivation and veer you away from obtaining your academic goals.
“Self Doubt”
These are the questions that eat away at all of us as we sit in a class deep into the semester trying to guzzle down lecture information. I find myself thinking things like: “Who really cares about this stuff?”– “Why am I in this class?”– “How is this going to help me get a job?” – “I bet I would understand this class better if my teacher wasn’t an ESL”– “I could probably be sleeping right now”.
Where does this self-doubt come from? Well, if you’re like me, you have worked hard to get into NSCS in all your classes despite not knowing exactly what you want to major in all while the overwhelming thought of student debt keeps you up at night.
What is the best way to combat these anxiety-inducing thoughts?
Stay busy and stay organized if you haven’t burnt out yet. A consistent level of effort is the best way to cope with our demanding schedules.
If you have burned out, don’t give yourself more agita by worrying class topics you might have fallen behind on. Go into damage control mode – focus on what you know and do your best until you have recovered. Take some time to relax and do the little things to get back on track and focus. For instance, spend the time to organize your books, try to brush your teeth regularly (personal hygiene is a major key), talk to your friends or family from back home, try to go outside even if the weather is bad, or just take a power nap. If you still can’t find your mojo do what I do; Copy the habits of your peers and friends who haven’t quite burned out yet.
If you’re still stressed out, that’s okay – just do your best. Just think, if you are reading off this website you must be doing something right.
And if your goals are still cloudy like mine, here are some words of wisdom that help get me from one day to the next:
“Stay away from stupid people” – My High School Physics Teacher
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill
“Life is like going the wrong way on a moving sidewalk. Stand still and you go backward. Walk and you stay put. To get ahead you have to hustle” – Farrelly Brothers
Keep your chin up people! You can get through it. If you are interested in more quotes or poetry, I’ve written some of my own here about all sorts of random things. Feel free to give some conscious feedback with comments.
The author is a former Division 1 student athlete at Stony Brook University. He is presently exploring where his post-athlete career will take him.