Self-Motivation: Staying Motivated Through The Summer

Rightly or wrongly, students tend to think of summer not as a time to continue pursuing their ambitions but as a cooling-off period between school years. With the exception of the unfortunate few who have to make up classes during the summer, most try to avoid thinking about their education as much as possible. Of course, having a period of time where one can momentarily set aside their responsibilities and allow themselves to relax is important, lest one become overwhelmed by the burden of their responsibilities. But the thing is, summer is so long that you should be able to allocate time and energy to advancing your goals as well as recharging your batteries, so to speak.

The most obvious way to stay productive during the summer, as I alluded to earlier and have discussed in previous articles, is to enroll in summer school. While it might seem baffling to students who do not have to make up any classes, you can just as easily take courses for your own personal growth during your break as you can if you fail or miss one during the school year. In fact, summer school gives you a chance to check out classes in fields outside of your major, potentially exposing you to new fields that you otherwise would never have come across. Some colleges offer more hands-on classes as well, offering you opportunities to learn practical skills that you might not be able to learn during the fall and spring.

But you don't necessarily have to stay in school to stay on top of your game during the summer. You can keep yourself motivated without ever once setting foot in a classroom during your break. In my experience, I've found that few things motivate me as much as reading. Although any kind of material can inspire anyone, biographies and autobiographies are particularly effective at making me want to fulfill my own potential. Granted, reading isn't a cakewalk for everybody, and not every book will resonate with every reader, but there is such a wide variety of stories out there for you to discover that you will eventually find one that speaks to you and your dreams. Sure, it's time-consuming, but it's summer: you've got plenty of time.

Photo source: petrapurple @ DeviantArt

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