Staying Motivated

[FrancescaHawkins2H]

At the end of this quarter, more so than other quarters, I found myself struggling to stay motivated and focused on my classes. Especially for this class, with the lectures being prerecorded, I found that it was a little too easy to let myself fall behind. Does anyone have any advice or tips that have worked for them in the past or that they plan to try out in the future to stay focused and motivated with online learning?

[Nathan Tong 3G]

I had this problem too, one thing that helped me stay motivated was studying in the same room as my sister. Maybe if you have a sibling or friend that you can study with, you can set up times where you can work together on discord or zoom and keep each other in check. Something else that helps is setting a fixed schedule where you dedicate your time to certain classes, because routine is very important to staying motivated.

[Jalaia Jackson 2G]

I feel like one way to stay motivated is to set a schedule for yourself and pace yourself. Write out everything you want to accomplish, so you can check it off as you go. Give yourself 15-30 minute breaks every two hours or so, so you don't get fatigued. Also, act like you're still going to class in person, don't tell yourself "Oh, I'll watch it later." Follow a routine and you should be good.

[Zach Jaffery 1K]

Along with the suggestions other people have contributed, I'd recommend making sure you're healthy outside of studying. Make sure you're getting enough sleep, and that you're well nourished. If your body is trying to compensated for being tired or hungry, you're setting yourself up for failure.

[Seraphina Joseph 1C]

Exercising before I study helps me have to energy to do my work.

[connie ma 3G]

I study with my sister and we do "focus sessions" where we set a timer for 25 minutes of uninterrupted work time and then break for 5 minutes and repeat :) you can totally adjust the time to what you prefer and study alone if you don't have any siblings but I find studying together us keep each other in check! this strategy is really good for efficiency and helps me get a lot of work done than I would normally because I would always pick up my phone. it also helps me get through watching lectures that are long or tedious!

I also found that waking up early/earlier helps me feel more efficient. ive always been a night owl and normally dont sleep until the late AM but I try to go to bed by 1 AM and I recently started setting 8 AM alarms which is pretty early for me because otherwise I would sleep till noon. Sometimes ill set a later alarm for 9 or 9:30 which is not too early (but it is for me lol) but the point is to get an earlier start to the day to help you feel more efficient.

Also, I like to make a list of things I want to get done in a day and try to stick to it. I also try to avoid things that I know will suck up my time (tiktok) :)

[Giselle_zamora_1L]

Hey I know how you feel, this quarter my home life was more chaotic than usual and mental and physical health issues certainly did not help my motivation. What I found to help was that for classes like this where you dread wanting to go and feel you can fall behind easily, DO IT FIRST! Its harder so you'll feel more productive, and you'll be more alert when you start as opposed to already mentally drained. A good cup of coffee will get you through the lectures and treat yourself after so that you can associate good things with getting stuff done, whether that's a candy or youtube video or whatnot! Hope this helps !

[Micaela Estavillo]

its def hard to stay motivated but i try to stay motivated by writing out my plans for the future and how im going to get there step by step, it helps me put my thoughts on paper and better understand my thinking

[Angel More]

This was my first UCLA quarter and it was crazy to me how fast the quarter went and how much work there was. Honestly, I know that I could have done better and I want to set up a plan for next quarter (and the quarters to come) so I will stay on track. I think the main thing with motivation is knowing why you are taking a class. For the classes I took this quarter that I was really interested I preformed well and was on top of it, but for the classes I did not like as much I did not do as well. However, for me to complete my major I was required to do those classes so if I looked at the class through the eyes of something I need to do to reach my goal I would have been more motivated. Another thing is making the subject interesting and fun. Everything can be interesting to you if you find ways to connect it to your life and try to learn the material though a curiosity lens. Also by switching up where you study (which i know is hard bc of covid :( ) has been helpful. I work outside a lot and really re-energizes myself. The last thing is not get burnt out which you can do by having time to relax and do #selfcare. So make time for yourself to have fun. Anyways that's just my take, good luck! :)

[Callan Howard]

I’m very reward oriented, so to motivate yourself to watch the lectures or do homework I recommend giving yourself little gifts when you complete the tasks! For example if you watch a couple of lectures and do the work problems, then you get to order a pizza or do a facemask or something you enjoy.

[Tam Nguyen 2B]

I'd definitely recommend getting a friend who you can either study with or talk to in general about school stuff. They don't have to be another UCLA student, but having that friend who you can relate to on any struggles or tell your achievements to is definitely very motivating. Accountability is a great way on keeping yourself on track.

[Laura 3l]

I’m very reward oriented, so to motivate yourself to watch the lectures or do homework I recommend giving yourself little gifts when you complete the tasks! For example if you watch a couple of lectures and do the work problems, then you get to order a pizza or do a facemask or something you enjoy.

I find this very helpful as well. I would also recommend having a planner and planning out your week by spreading out your workload.

[Zainab Jamali 1H]

Hey I know how you feel, this quarter my home life was more chaotic than usual and mental and physical health issues certainly did not help my motivation. What I found to help was that for classes like this where you dread wanting to go and feel you can fall behind easily, DO IT FIRST! Its harder so you'll feel more productive, and you'll be more alert when you start as opposed to already mentally drained. A good cup of coffee will get you through the lectures and treat yourself after so that you can associate good things with getting stuff done, whether that's a candy or youtube video or whatnot! Hope this helps !

I think I'll try using this strategy next quarter!!

[Orla Lynagh-Shannon 1F]

I found that having a calendar with due dates/lectures helped a lot when my motivation was lacking. Having a list of what I needed to do by when made it a matter of getting it done and crossing it off the list which motivated me.

[Will Pham 1J]

I struggled with this problem too, I found myself going from slightly behind to completely not knowing what was going on in the class. Scheduling my study sessions along with other things going on in my life helped me stay on top of things and more accountable.

[Sukhkiran Kaur 3I]

I find it easier to stay motivated if I allow myself to take a break when I want one. Also, I ask my family to make sure they remind me to go back to my work if I've been hanging around too much haha.

[Ryan Agcaoili 2E]

I find myself struggling to stay motivated as well due to the academic setbacks I experienced so far, especially in this class alone. To stay more motivated, I believe that taking breaks and surrounding yourself with a great support system will definitely boost your morale.

[jasonfarrales3D]

Staying motivated has definitely been a struggle for me during this fall quarter, and one solution I found was finding a study buddy. We practically zoom everyday, studying for chemistry together while keeping each other in check as well.

[Ashley Wagner 2A]

I’ve been struggling with staying motivated too, but I found that having a friend to study with has helped a lot. Also giving myself breaks while studying also helps too.

[Zoe Staggs 3B]

After coming down with mono this quarter, I lacked energy and felt overwhelmed when trying the to get caught up with the material. What helped me was making a schedule that included when I would do readings and homework far in advance. I would also try and include breaks with a reward for some more incentive.

[LeahSWM 2E]

This quarter truly tested me as a student, mainly because I felt really alone without the social aspect of college. Then my best friend facetimed me and offered to just sit on the phone with me while I studied and did assignments and that helped tremendously! If you have a friend who is struggling, reach out, and really support each other! I also set little goals and rewards for myself to push me through it; if I did all my assignments on my agenda, I would spend the rest of the night doing something for myself like watching a favorite movie or getting ice cream lol.

[Emma Goellner 2I]

To stay motivated, it helps me a lot to work and study with others, make a plan, and get enough sleep every night. Being in a good mood from socializing, eating enough, drinking water, and sleeping enough. Taking care of yourself should always come first, since it can be hard to feel motivated if you aren't feeling well.

[Sara Dolmo 2J]

To stay motivated, I make sure to plan out my day every morning, especially when it comes to studying. I try to give myself a specific time to study and give myself breaks in between to avoid burnout. For me, It really helps to study with others in the same class and work through practice problems as a group. It can really be hard to stay focused to it's up to us, to make ourselves do the things we don't want to do.

[605778346]

One thing that helps me stay motivated is to set a schedule for me to follow. This helps me stay on track with my goals and assignments, and hopefully it will do the same to you.

[605778346]

One thing that helps me stay motivated is to set a schedule for me to follow. This helps me stay on track with my goals and assignments, and hopefully it will do the same to you.

[Denise Chavez 2G]

One that helps me stay motivated is planning out my days so I know how long I can study for on a certain day while also still finding time to other activities in the day. Sometimes working and studying all day can lead to burnout so to avoid that I schedule times in day dedicated to studying and homework that way I can find time in my day where I can do something for me whether it be a hobby or relaxing.

[305692127]

I think we all get burnt out at times, but sometimes I like taking a little break and walking outside to get some fresh air and some juices flowing. Sometimes you need to remember why you are doing what you are doing so you can continue to work hard.

[zackdouchy]

Despite whatever activities or clubs I have to do in a given day, I never like to let myself far behind. Always dedicate the time you are given to watch a lecture or go to class to work on chemistry, because this is what I do. This has helped me tremendously, I hope this helps.

[SofiaMammaro-1K]

Just think that if you don't do it now then you will have to do it at some point and you will regret not doing it before, just think of your future self! Also, try and plan out your day/week so that you can set mini goals for yourself

[Alejandra Hernandez 2A]

I definitely see where you're coming from!! Especially because we are getting so close to the end of the quarter and at this point, we are kind of burned out, it is kind of difficult to stay motivated. Something that always works to keep me motivated is to have things to look forward to, or if you want you can even set "rewards" for yourself! I always find it way more motivating when I go to class knowing I'll be able to see my friends after, or I'll be able to grab a coffee at Ackerman before class. Small things like that can make the whole process of going to class and getting work done a little more enjoyable and not so dreading! Wish you the best of luck :)

[daniellediem1k]

Even though the lectures are pre recorded, I schedule a time in my day to watch the lecture and I try my best not to cancel on myself!

[105784203]

At the end of this quarter, more so than other quarters, I found myself struggling to stay motivated and focused on my classes. Especially for this class, with the lectures being prerecorded, I found that it was a little too easy to let myself fall behind. Does anyone have any advice or tips that have worked for them in the past or that they plan to try out in the future to stay focused and motivated with online learning?

Let yourself fall behind, its okay.

[Ameerah Hameed 3B]

In order to stay motivated this quarter I have been truly making use of to-do lists. Additionally, during the moments where I feel overwhelmed I focus on the reasoning behind why I am doing what I am doing in the present (basically remembering my goals and what I have to do in order to obtain them).

[105707059]

In order to stay motivated, I use to-do lists because being able to check off items that I have completed makes me feel more productive.

[Rishab_Haldar_3B]

My best advice would be to push through and make yourself watch the prerecorded lectures or maybe even go to in-person lectures just so it boosts your motivation and so you feel more connected to the class.

[Coraly De Leon]

Hello,
I usually try to give myself some self care time before hitting the books, so that I can feel refreshed and also try to lay out my aspirations so that I may be motivated to continue studying. I usually try to write down my grade goal so that I can be reminded that in order to receive that grade, I have to put in the effort.

[305723807]

I love taking breaks

[305723807]

personally if I don't feel like doing something I just don't due it I'm not gonna stress myself out over some points

[405509920]

One of the best ways to stay motivated is do whatever you can to prevent yourself getting burnout. Of course this is much easier said than done but I guarantee that the root of most lack of motivation, especially in regards to things you used to enjoy, is due to burnout. Good time management and making sure you have enough free time to wind down and get your mind off whatever you're working on is key.