How to Find the Motivation to Study Hard for College Exams

I want to study but I can't focus!

Oh, I don’t want to study! I’m exhausted!

The exams are around the corner. Will I be able to cover the entire course?

Do you often face this dilemma when it comes to your study hours? Then it may suggest you lack the motivation to study. But don’t worry. We are here for you!

You may want to know how to become a better student in college. So, the following tips can help you proceed towards the right path.

Acknowledge Your Procrastination Habit

You should know what motivates you to study hard. But before that, you should get rid of habits that prevent you from studying hard.

Procrastination is a prevalent problem among college students. Thus you should acknowledge and accept this shortcoming.

It’s ok to procrastinate now and then. But it’s bad when it becomes a habit. As a result, you may be unable to focus on your studies. You may check your phone every few minutes and get distracted. Hence you should try to manage procrastination to increase motivation to study.

Set Goals

Do you know what happens when you don’t set in goals in life? You are less likely to strive to become successful.

The same goes for your college life. You won’t put in your best effort unless you set clear goals. So, if you want to find the motivation to study, you should set goals. These can be as simple as:

● I want to get an A grade in this course

● I want to achieve a higher GPA this semester than the previous one

With a clear goal in mind, you can come up with an effective roadmap to achieve that objective.

Simplify the Learning Material

A prominent reason why you may not want to study is that you find your course material too complex. You may fear that you won’t be able to understand the topic. So, you may wonder “I want to study but I can't focus”!

The key to solving this issue is to simplify the course content. For this purpose, you should break it down into smaller chunks. For instance, you may have to cover a long chapter in your Physics class. You can read five pages in each session. This will help you understand the topic without pressure.

Develop Interest

You may want to know how to become a better student in college. But some boring courses can make it difficult for you to study well.

You can’t concentrate when a course seems extra boring. To address this problem, you should find out what motivates you to study hard.

We know not every student enjoys reading course books. You can make it interesting by writing down relevant questions on a piece of paper. Then you can go through the book to find answers to those questions. Aside from reference books, you can also watch interesting documentaries. It’s a fun way to find the motivation to study!

Set a Timer

Did you ever find yourself in a situation where you struggled to start a task? But it seemed far easier when you started working on it?

This applies to college education too. You procrastinate on assignments because they appear challenging. But when you start working due to the approaching deadline, it becomes easier. You may finish the task in no time.

So, when you can’t find the motivation to study, set a timer. It can be as short as 5-10 minutes. Your mind knows that you’ll get a break after studying for a brief period. And when you start studying, everything becomes easier. In fact, you may want to skip the break and continue reading for an hour.

Arrange Group Sessions

You may worry, I want to study but I can't focus! This problem may arise because you can’t understand a complex topic on your own. This is when your friends can help you out.

All you need to do is to ask your friends to join you in a group study session. This way, you can help each other understand the syllabus. These study sessions also answer your question: how to become a better student in college.

Hey, Don’t Be Hard on Yourself!

Isn’t it irritating when you can’t concentrate? You can’t study for more than a few minutes no matter how hard you try. So, you end up thinking, I want to study but I can't focus!

Hey, it’s fine! Don’t berate yourself. You should give yourself time. If you put too much pressure on yourself, you’ll lose motivation to study. So, encourage yourself. And engage in positive self-talk. You can focus better with a positive mindset.

Reward Yourself for Your Efforts

Do you know what motivates you to study hard? It’s the idea of a reward. You should reward yourself for your efforts.

It’s a good idea to set milestones. For example, you get a reward every time you learn a chapter. Choose your favorite rewards or gifts. It can be a chocolate bar. Or cookies from your go-to cafe. You can order ice cream from a nearby shop too.

Remember that you should reward yourself once you achieve the milestone. Don’t give in to the temptation to eat your favorite snack until you finish the task. This approach will do wonders for you.

Be Consistent

It’s important to know what motivates you to study hard. But it’s also important to remember that you can’t find motivation at all times. So, you can’t rely only on motivation to become a good student.

This is why it’s more important to be consistent. You should stick to your study routine even if you feel tired. This is how to become a better student in college.

College students often struggle to find the motivation to study. So, consider the above-mentioned study hacks. And your performance will elevate in no time.