Motivational Study Strategies

Finding Study Inspiration

• Personal Struggles with Motivation: Acknowledges the feeling of not wanting to study, needing inspiration.

Inspiration from Movies

• Recommended Films:
• Good Will Hunting: Motivating story about intellect and self-discovery.
• Legally Blonde: Uplifting tale about perseverance in education.
• The Imitation Game: Reflects on the importance of hard work and intelligence in challenging circumstances.
• Oppenheimer: Important to confront confusion and push for clarity in personal studies.
• Purpose: Watching these films encourages a return to academic focus and hard work.

Change of Environment for Motivation

• Problem with Motivation: Lack of desire to work in familiar settings (library, home).
• Solution: Move to different spaces where others are actively working.
• Exposure Therapy Technique:
• Visit busy areas such as the Engineering Building to observe others working.
• Purpose: Feel the urgency of motivation from the work of others, increasing self-drive.

Setting Academic Goals

• Boredom with Lectures: Lack of motivation even when not far behind.
• Strategy: Create an exam grade spreadsheet:
• Calculate the grades needed for finals/midterms to average a desired score (e.g., 80%).
• Visualization of required grades can instigate stress needed to motivate studying.

Start Small for Better Focus

• Feeling Overwhelmed: When feeling mentally fatigued or lazy, stalling progress.
• Approach: Break down tasks into manageable parts:
• Set small achievable goals (e.g., finish one lecture).
• Gradually build up study efforts over time instead of overwhelming oneself with large objectives.
• Prioritize Assignments: Stay on top of assignments to prevent backlog while being flexible with lectures.

Conclusion:

• Recognizes the common struggle against distractions (e.g., Netflix) and emphasizes gradual progress and practical strategies to maintain academic responsibility and motivation.