{"id":5048,"date":"2020-11-04T09:00:44","date_gmt":"2020-11-04T14:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/?p=5048"},"modified":"2020-11-01T20:45:49","modified_gmt":"2020-11-02T01:45:49","slug":"anna-a-seniors-guide-to-staying-motivated-this-semester","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/2020\/11\/04\/anna-a-seniors-guide-to-staying-motivated-this-semester\/","title":{"rendered":"Anna: A Senior\u2019s Guide to Staying Motivated This Semester"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The fall 2020 semester has revolutionized the way universities run and how students learn. I\u2019ve been hearing from a lot of my friends how difficult it is to stay motivated during these times.<\/p>\n<p>Here are some tips from me, a fellow COM senior, on how you can maximize your time and center your priorities for the rest of the school year!<\/p>\n<h3><b>Set a good weekly routine (and try your best to stick to it)<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/planner.jpg\" alt=\"planner\" width=\"512\" height=\"384\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5049\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/planner.jpg 512w, https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/planner-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Whether you use Google Calendar, a notes app, or a physical planner, my tip is always to set a good routine. Every Sunday evening, run through your schedule and make sure you have everything ordered for that week. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">R<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">emember not to overbook yourself, and make sure to schedule in time for three meals a day and relaxation time at night! It may help to work through your calendar on a 24-hour time grid, which the ERC has a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/erc\/files\/2020\/01\/24-Hour-Timegrid.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">template<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Connect with old friends<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/phone.jpg\" alt=\"phone\" width=\"512\" height=\"310\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5050\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/phone.jpg 512w, https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/phone-300x182.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Several weeks ago, I texted my friends at my previous university, letting them know how thankful I was that I met them&#8211;not only did it make their day, but it also rekindled our relationship! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In times like these, we\u2019re all looking for connections. It\u2019s easy to send a text saying \u201cHello, I\u2019m thinking of you and hope you are well\u201d&#8211;don\u2019t be afraid if you haven&#8217;t talked to them in a while! Be happy that you have the chance to make someone\u2019s day!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Have something to look forward to<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/cupcakes.jpg\" alt=\"cupcakes\" width=\"512\" height=\"343\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5051\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/cupcakes.jpg 512w, https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/cupcakes-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">The title speaks for itself! The thing you\u2019re looking forward to doesn\u2019t have to be something huge. It can be as small as looking forward to treating yourself to a sweet treat once you finish an assignment or exam at the end of the week. We all look forward to the weekend but adding that dash of excitement gives us something more! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Remember to make the thing you\u2019re looking forward to tangible and something you can see in the near future.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Write in a gratitude journal<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/gratitude.jpg\" alt=\"gratitude\" width=\"512\" height=\"341\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5052\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/gratitude.jpg 512w, https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/gratitude-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Studies show that those who write in a gratitude journal have lowered <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/health-shots\/2018\/12\/24\/678232331\/if-you-feel-thankful-write-it-down-its-good-for-your-health\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">stress levels and improved mental health<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">! Every night before going to sleep, I write in my gratitude journal. The prompt is the same&#8211;what am I thankful for that day? Who made my life a little better just by the little encounters or conversations? It can be the beautiful weather, the walk you took, or something that made you smile. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Doing this small act has allowed me to get a better night\u2019s sleep and has shifted my perspective from the negatives of what\u2019s happening in the world to a more grateful mindset. Even the worst of days, there\u2019s at least one thing you can be thankful for.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Meditate<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/meditate.jpg\" alt=\"meditate\" width=\"512\" height=\"342\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5053\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/meditate.jpg 512w, https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/files\/2020\/11\/meditate-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Prior to this semester, I\u2019d never meditated before &#8212; but let me tell you, it works! I recommend taking a look at this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ggia.berkeley.edu\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> and filtering through to see if there\u2019s a meditation that works for you! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">A couple of weeks ago, I tried the body scan meditation and I had much more vivid dreams and recollections of them. I felt rejuvenated when I woke up. This meditation took roughly 15 minutes of my time, but some meditations are shorter or longer!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This semester has undoubtedly had its ups and downs, but hopefully these tips help you to stay motivated if you need a boost!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The fall 2020 semester has revolutionized the way universities run and how students learn. I\u2019ve been hearing from a lot of my friends how difficult it is to stay motivated during these times. Here are some tips from me, a fellow COM senior, on how you can maximize your time and center your priorities for &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/2020\/11\/04\/anna-a-seniors-guide-to-staying-motivated-this-semester\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Anna: A Senior\u2019s Guide to Staying Motivated This Semester<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2018,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[7271],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5048"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5048"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5055,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5048\/revisions\/5055"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.bu.edu\/comblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}