Fresh from sunny beaches, thousands of Ball State students returned to school this week with a collective groan. Gone is the week of lounging in the sun, enjoying exotic locales or, for some, participating in service learning projects. Even those who stayed in Muncie had a few moments of semi-warm sun to enjoy - and perhaps the pleasure of sleeping in later than usual. Another Spring Break's escapism has come and gone; now we once again face the glum prospects of the daily grind.
The seven weeks of classes left in the semester seem to stretch ahead interminably, especially for those who have summer classes to attend. For seniors, the wait is surely excruciating. Master's and doctoral students hunch over computers late into evenings and weekends, engulfed in their theses or dissertations as the work slowly consumes their very souls.
Gray, rainy skies do little to lift the epidemic of lost motivation, and as memories of idyllic Spring Break leisure mocks my fellow students and me, senioritis sets in. Tapping my pencil on my printed-out PowerPoint notes, my mind wanders from the subject matter in my lectures. Tormented by the stress-free break, my mind drifts away to the hours I spent reading non-academic books and watching television shows that might or might not involve the democratic elimination of poor singers.
Complain as we will for a few days, though, the show must go on. In less than two months, we'll be taking final exams, turning in those dreaded papers and projects that haunt us now, and we'll be ready for what comes next. Change is the only certainty in life, no matter how resistant some are to it. Whether it's a full-time job, more school or something entirely different, life changes are coming up to relieve us from the oppression of today's drudgery.
Still, "hanging in there" is much easier to say than to do, especially when long hours of hard work lie ahead - but the alternative is unacceptable. Ball State University students are not quitters; tenacity and persistence are the way to success. This isn't to say all quitting is bad, particularly when major life events and family problems get in the way. However, simply saying "Eh, I don't feel like working hard anymore" is the mark of profound laziness and a repulsive sense of entitlement that will do no favors for anyone in the future. Occasionally, all students get senioritis - no matter what year in school they are - but they must not give in to its influence.
To guard against the negative effects of motivation loss, trying something new is often helpful because it can rekindle your interest in things. Why not continue that pre-Break workout regimen to maintain or improve on your "beach body"? Summer is just around the corner, anyway.
Or why not visit one of Minnetrista's workshops about arts, crafts, fruit canning, history and many other subjects? Or you could volunteer your time with local organizations.
Goal-setting is another important motivation enhancer. Just make sure goals are small, sequential, reachable and relevant. A good example would be "I will study for my Econ test 15 minutes per day after dinner this week and for 30 minutes after dinner each day next week."
Better yet, you can find your own way to bring back the gusto that makes assignments blaze off your desk. Doing so might not resurrect the scent of the ocean, but it will make the next seven weeks a bit more manageable.
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