Oh no, we’re halfway through the semester. To most, if not all, of us, this means that mid-semester exams are just around the corner. When that happens, there are generally two types of students – the ones who sit around and procrastinate (like myself) and the ones that are currently working super hard to excel in their studies. And this brings me to my question, how do you find the motivation to do what you have to and resisting the temptation of just taking a nap?

Of course, coming from me, I’d probably just tell you to give up and take that undeserved nap but really, how do others do it? What motivates them to do what they do? Well, if you Google searched ‘How to motivate yourself to study’, you’d find results from the Oxford Royale Academy saying things like ditch the books altogether, try something new, teach your friends and vice versa, and 5 other helpful tips.

Or …maybe you’d stumble upon the Keep Inspiring Me website which would tell you to actually start somewhere, study with your friends or even by bribing yourself. Which sounds really good when you have an ample amount of chocolates or sweets, well at least until you start gobbling them all up without completing your goals that is.

Then there’s the University College London who would advise you to focus on what you think you can do within a limited amount of time instead of just trying to cram in a truckload of work into a few hours. They also mention how we should each try to understand our own unique way of studying, to never doubt ourselves and our abilities, and other useful methods.

Of course, I’m sure everything you’ve just read may seem a bit dry or something you’ve heard over and over again like a broken record. As true as it may be, some of us would’ve reached the point in the semester where we just can’t be bothered to care about what happens this week and then there’ll be the rest who feel slightly motivated or pumped up by just reading this article. (How I wish.)

But who am I kidding. So, let’s just go back to the basics. Here’s some moral support from me to you, you can do this & you can get through this week. Sure, it might not be enough to get your lazy ass up and out of bed, but let’s be real here. Sometimes all we need is just to know that there’s someone who believes in us.

So here I am, telling you that I believe in you. That you can do it. That you can tackle whatever challenge you’re facing in your life now. You’ve made it this far, so don’t give up now. Not when we’re more than halfway through with the semester.

If you still feel like you’re lost and have no idea how to get your life back on track (which I’m pretty sure, is how most of us feel), then I’d suggest talking to your friends or family. Even though everyone’s always so busy with their own lives, I’m almost 100% sure that if you went up to them and asked them to spare you some time, they’d immediately drop whatever it is they’re doing.

That’s just how it is, the people closest to you are the ones who love you the most. And sometimes that means putting you above whatever it is they have going on. I’m sure you’d do the same for them too, right? Or is it just me.

Either way, talk to someone. Be it your best friend, your parents or even the resident counsellor in Monash. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s to never keep everything to yourself, especially the negative thoughts or feelings. Talk to those who care about you, about your happiness and wellbeing. And there’ll always be someone who cares, whether you realize it or not.

You should never bottle up the negative feelings or thoughts you have. It’s not silly or stupid to open up to someone. It just makes us all more human. It’s definitely not a weakness and you should never be so pressured to a point where you think you’ll burst, just because you feel that you have to stay strong all the time.

So start right now. Start by talking to someone, anyone. You never really know who will boost your self-esteem and confidence in less than a minute. You don’t know how just how much someone has been admiring your ability to make things look easy when they’re not. You wouldn’t know just who’s waiting to be your rock, in return for all the love and support you’ve offered them.

And when you’ve gotten your mind back on track and your heart filled with love and support, you can finally start prepping for all the assignments and tests you have coming up. Often, it’s the love, support and vote of confidence from those we love who make everything better, or at least more bearable. That’s ultimately, the best kind of motivation a person can have. It’s knowing that no matter how hard you try, there will always be someone who is majorly proud of you and what you’re accomplishing in your life so far.

Article by Stephanie Leng

Photo from NY Post