HELP! Can't get motivated at all

LegacyUser

I'm a final year student and I have 10 exams coming up starting on the 3rd of May and finishing on the 22nd. It's quite ridiculous but thats the way my college do things. The problem is that I can't get motivated to study at all. I'm just coasting through. We have 3 weeks off before the exams start (just finished the 2nd week) and I've done the bare minimum. I look at my classmates and they're all panicking about not being able to fit in all the study and I haven't even started yet!

I don't know what's wrong with me but I don't know how to snap myself out of this slump. I've been getting 2.1s all through college but now, when it really matters, it seems that I'll be lucky to get a 2.2.

Does anyone have any advice for me on how to handle this?

tenchi-fan

hhffeexamsugh wrote: »

I'm a final year student and I have 10 exams coming up starting on the 3rd of May and finishing on the 22nd. It's quite ridiculous but thats the way my college do things. The problem is that I can't get motivated to study at all. I'm just coasting through. We have 3 weeks off before the exams start (just finished the 2nd week) and I've done the bare minimum. I look at my classmates and they're all panicking about not being able to fit in all the study and I haven't even started yet!

I don't know what's wrong with me but I don't know how to snap myself out of this slump. I've been getting 2.1s all through college but now, when it really matters, it seems that I'll be lucky to get a 2.2.

Does anyone have any advice for me on how to handle this?

the problem with third level, particularly in Ireland, is many students have no interest in what they're doing, cram at the last minute, hope to scrape by by the skin of their teeth, and still manage to come out with honours degrees. Is it any wonder American companies comment on grade inflation in Ireland?

if you really are passionate in what you were doing, I could argue that you wouldn't need to study for exams in the final few weeks, you'd know everything already - it would be second nature to you.

But your problem sounds like a lack of interest in your course, a lack of personal responsibility (as evidenced by the bit highlight in bold) and a lack of consequences (you'll still get a 2.2 or a pass).

I'm speaking from experience by the way- You're probably pretty intelligent so you'll pass your exams! But this scrape-through attitude could work against you in the long-term with regards to your career. When you finish college, you should do some serious soul-searching as to what you want from a career and don't fall into something that can seem like a continuation of your academic experience ... just plodding along and being nothing outstanding.

At this stage all I can advise you is to get a general overview of the structure of each subject and spend a day studying for each exam, and the entire morning of each exam doing some last minute cramming.. I find an effective way to study (cram) is to read over a passage, then summarise it as briefly as possible as if you were explaining it to someone, and at least try to follow the practice questions (although you really need to do them under exam conditions, but you might have left it too late).

Now it's time to bolt yourself into your room and study. Good luck!

Agent J

Soul searching can wait. Right now you need a plan.
I can give you a few ideas to crash course it to get through the exams but its up to you to actually do it. Unless you like the idea of having to go through it all again in a few months with repeats

This is pretty general and more aimed a techinical rather than an arts course(No offence intended, i just have more experience that way)

1)Past Papers

Get your hands on as many past papers for the subject as you can. Beg, borrow , steal them. Get them and repeat the questions till you can answer them yourself. Not till you think you know them or are pretty sure. Be 100%.

It is rote learning which sucks but this will get through a lot of exams


2)Forget learning the subject to understand it.

You had the whole year to do that. Now you are out of time & have to cram like hell. Understanding everything would be great but you dont have time. You just need to know enough to talk your way through. Too much time can be taken trying to understand every little angle on something.

3)Consider Tri-age

I dont know how you ended with 10 exams but im going to take it on faith they are all first time(ie no repeats). You might consider concentrating your efforts on certain exams and catching others in the repeats. Or aiming for 2.1s in some and passes in another. I dont know your situation so only you can work this one out. Consider that if you try to do well in all of them you might spread yourself too thin.

Check carefully any implications of doing repeats towards degrees.

4)Study habits.

Google these. There are tons of advice on this.
A few general pointers. If the TV (or similar) is on then it isnt study. If you dont have a pen in your hand (or arent typing) then it isnt study either. All those important things you have to do before you start to study.. arent. The laundry can wait, the dishes can wait and do you really need that 10th cup of tea before you start?


5) Plan

Dont spend too much time on this but have a general outline worked out of what you are going to do, how you are going to do it , when you are going to and what/who you need to do it. Get the logistical part worked out in advance you arent wasting more time you dont have.



This is not intended to be good advice for a soild academic career. Before anyone jumps down my throat at it i recognize that.. This is intended to try and get you over the short term study situation.

As for longer term considerations. That can all wait till after the exams.
Good luck.

tenchi-fan

Agent J wrote: »

Soul searching can wait.

+1. It's amazing the amount of people who take up new interests in the weeks leading up to exam time.

Agent J

tenchi-fan wrote: »

+1. It's amazing the amount of people who take up new interests in the weeks leading up to exam time.

Personally my house is never cleaner than during exam time .....

Firetrap

Ah this brings back memories. My bedroom at home even underwent a rearranging of furniture around exam time :eek:

Have you any friends that you could study with? I found that helpful during my student days. Otherwise, I'd be doing pointless things like cleaning the house, raiding the chocolate machine etc.

KittyeeTrix

Agent J wrote: »

Personally my house is never cleaner than during exam time .....

Same here and my boards post count rockets:(

OP.......It is tough to get going but you've just got to lock the doors tomorrow, take out the notes and get going. There is no easy way around it, just do it!!!

SATSUMA

I think most students ca relate to this problem! never the less it can have consequences and you will never do yourself justice which isnt fair on you.

I had the same problem for years and it's only now that i'm older that i realise it was my way of dealing with stress-total shut down. To everyone it looks like pure laziness but that isnt always the case.

I know this might seem like an odd suggestion but maybe go get an appointment with the college counsellor. Be willing to explore the fact that you may be stresed, paralysed with fear, under too much expectation, a perfectionist ect ect. I wish i had done it. You have nothing to lose.

I found making a study plan good, its agony doing it, but you can, and its not too late trust me on that one. Im the queen of cramming.

Good luck

steelcityblues

I agree that going to the counsellor is the first step you can take, as long as he/she is approachable enough.