StarCatcher

Today I hope to be a little wiser

And a little kinder

Need motivation?

To get an education. 

To earn a degree. There are barely any jobs that offer positions to people without a degree, or are on the path of obtaining one.

To prove people wrong. That science teacher that said you’ll never make it in the medical field? Make him eat his words. 

To prove yourself wrong. Every student has doubts on whether or not they can be good enough in the classroom. Prove yourself wrong, and always be better than you were yesterday. 

This is a privilege. Regardless of how much you believe that you HAVE to do this, to some extend you don’t. Realize that you have the privilege of an education even being an option for you.

Take advantage of what you’re capable of. Don’t waste a perfectly intelligent mind. 

More money. That degree can do wonderful things to your bank account in the future. 

It’s interesting. Studying can get pretty boring, but there are always those topics that spark your curiosity and motivate you to learn more.

It’s attractive. Not everyone cares for someone who is academically gifted, but a partner who is eager to learn makes me eager to take my pants off.

It’s useful. That random fact that you read in a random textbook can stick with you and really end up helping you out one day.

It’s fun to know useless shit sometimes.

To make your parents proud. This is one of the main reasons I study. My parents have always been aware of my capabilities and have pushed me to be academically better every year. They know I have big dreams, and I just want to achieve them so they can know that their child made it.

To make myself proud. This goes along with number four. Knowing that you accomplished something, however small or big the thing may be, is a huge self-esteem booster.

To be independent. There’s nothing quite like knowing that you don’t need someone else’s job, degree, intelligence, or presence to make you successful.

To pursue your passion. 

To gain knowledge. Whether its in your field, or a completely different one, being knowledgeable is just downright fun.

People will look up to you. Your siblings, your best friends, and your classmates may see you consistently studying, and it could motivate them to do the same. 

To make a name for yourself. “Oh yeah, (insert name here), I know them. Aren’t they like really successful now?”

To become your own role model.

To be able to pay off your student loans.

Because the long nights and excessive coffee will all be worth it. Even if it doesn’t seem like it now. 

To exercise your brain. Your brain is just like a muscle, and like the body it needs to be exercised. 

To improve your hippocampus. Your hippocamus is responsible for memory, and if you study your memorization will become significantly better.

To not waste time doing useless stuff. 

Because stationary is amazing. I could spend a whole paycheck on just pens.

Because notes are actually all so pretty. 

To be productive. I used to spend a lot of time on social media, and although I still do, the amount of time I spend studying and getting stuff done has definitely increased.

So classes will be easier. 

So tests will be easier.

To impress your professors. Get those letters of recommendation! 

So the anxiety of getting a bad grade is sufficiently decreased. I constantly worry about my grades, but studying has helped me not worry so much.

Because coffee exists. 

There is no other atmosphere quite like the inside of a library. 

So you won’t have to retake a class. Failing a prerequisite for your major really sucks, so maybe try not failing the first time around. This also saves you a lot of money because you won’t have to pay for the class again. 

Finals week won’t suck as bad. You’ll be used to studying so when finals week comes around it wont nearly be as stressful as for those students who are now opening a textbook. 

You won’t go to as many college parties. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for socializing and having fun, but a lot can go wrong at a college party very quickly. And there’s no better way to prevent that, than just not going to the party cause you’re reading your economics textbook. 

You’ll get used to FOMO. Fear of Missing Out. Every teenagers nightmare. Eventually, you’ll get used to the feeling. 

You’ll be getting the most out of your college experience. You’re paying for these classes. Might as well try your best to pass. 

You’ll get used to not getting enough sleep. So, if you decide to go to grad school you’ll have that department covered. 

There’s really good study music out there. 

I guarantee there will be at least 5 places on campus, or around you that are perfect for studying, and you’ll want to go there everyday. 

You’ll become a pro at writing essays, or lab reports.

You’ll learn fairly quickly that study groups rarely work. 

You’ll make a lot of friends that are just as passionate about studying as you are. And you will cherish them. 

Beauty and Brains. Don’t you want to fit that description? 

Thousands of students before you have done it, so you can too. 

You can run a studyblr. Aren’t they the cutest? 

You get really good at time management. 

Sleep becomes 5x more satisfactory after a night of studying.

Facebook / Twitter / Ko-fi / Buy the book

 so i am probably one of the few people that enjoy an 8 a.m class (7:40 am to exact) no, i am not crazy. i already survived 2 semesters (fall and summer) , MTWHF, of 7:40 a.m classes so i will share some tips for these classes.

sleep the night before/nap

even though this might be obvious, sleep the night before. coffee will only give you so much energy and too much coffee means crashing. if sleep before is not possible, nap between classes or in the library after your classes.

drink coffee periodically 

as tempting as it is to wake up in the morning and drink a whole cup of coffee and hope to survive the day, it usually doesn’t work. my tip is to bring a mug/thermos of coffee with you. (i bring two)  20 minutes or however long takes to caffeine to kick starts for you before class starts, drink ¼ or ½ of the thermos and during class, whenever you feel tired during class, drink some sips. 

if you don’t drink coffee, drink cold water

choose a class that you like (if you can)

for my first semester of 8 am classes, i had to choose the class because there was no place in my schedule for it. the class was something that I really liked and it kept me motivated to stay awake. so if you can, choose a class that you like or interest you.

keep active

even for me, there were some days that the professors voice was literally a lullaby to me. so stay active. actively take notes. force your hand to write whatever it is that the professors’s slides or writing on the board. doodle what your prof is saying. the minute you start passively listening your professor, everything will go downhill from there.

keep a positive attitude 

8 am class might not be the class that you want or like, but this is your life and your grades. if you think the class will be hell, it will hell for you. don’t let one class bring your gpa and your self worth. this might be a struggle, but once you are over it and did well, you can pat yourself on the back

have back-up

there is bound to be a day that you might oversleep, so make sure to have at least 2-3 people in your morning class that you have their number. (you will never know who else has over slept so it is good to have a couple numbers)

reward yourself afterward

IF YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING OR DOZE THROUGH SOMETHING, ASK RIGHT AWAY.

we are not superhuman. there is going to be a time that you doze through something or are so sleepy that you miss something. the minute you discover you missed something, ask. don’t wait. the more you wait, the more you are less likely to ask and you will probably forgot about it until you see it on the test and then it hits you that you haven’t don’t know 

i hope this is helpful for you. if you want any more tips on 8 am classes, don’t hesitate to message me. good luck < 3

For some, it’s the moment when you finally finish at 2am, ten chapters of notes written, hand aching, perhaps not the prettiest but at least you’re done.

For some, it’s the journals that were messily completed and items only half crossed out because you have other, more important things to do.

For some, it’s the act of getting out of bed after a particularly crummy night.

For some, it’s creating artwork or music you’re passionate about.

For some, it’s the smell of expo markers writing equation after equation on the board until you’ve got it memorized and burned in your mind.

And for others, it’s another act. Another checked box on your list of to-do’s for the day. Taking a walk outside. Meditating for five minutes. Making a phone call.

An accomplishment, no matter how small, is still worth recognizing. They still show effort. They show work. They show passion, determination, and a thirst for improvement.