Spring break is at the corner, it usually occurs between the months of March- April. It is also called Easter Holiday/vacation in the United States. Places to go are; Daytona Beach, Florida; Cancun or Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; South Padre Island, Texas; the Bahamas, Las Vegas, Miami’s neon-lit South Beach (“SoBe”)
Wow, what a wonderful time I had last spring vacation, so much sight-seeing, beach parties, lazing in the pool. I was at Puerto Vallarta in Mexico, one of the most amazing places to be. Puerto Vallarta is one of Mexico’s most picturesque beach destinations, which has a lot of historic white-washed buildings, and cerulean seas set against a rugged mountain skyline. Meaning a variety of water sports, like scuba diving with manta rays off Islas Marietas, boating around Los Arcos’ reefs and parasailing off of the popular Playa Los Muertos. What I really can’t get off my mind is how Puerto Vallarta comes alive when the sun dips below the horizon. I had so much fun with friends visiting it’s salsa clubs which is virtually everywhere lighting up the streets, and not forgetting it’s rowdy local bars where you never run out of servers. Puerto Vallarta is the most happening and diverse area in Mexico. After having this much fun, in just two weeks break and getting back to school was really challenging. It was very difficult making my straight “A’s,” I mean, I barely finished the semester strong.
Reflecting back, I figured out in order to finish spring semester strong after spring vacation, I have to say goodbye to the beaches, sun tanning, and relaxation and back to the lecture halls, textbooks, and the dreaded alarm clocks, which was stashed away for two weeks. Spring Break has come to an end, and difficult as it is for many students to stay focused and motivated to keep working to the best of their abilities until they reach the end of the school year, they just have to if not an extra year in college is what they would eventually sign up for. In order to avoid setbacks. Here are a few tips I believe, if adhered to would keep you focused and motivated after spring break has come to an end:
- Plan ahead and stay organized; At the start of the semester, you should have a copy of your curriculum, school calendar for the year, know the dates of exams, schedule your reading time, time for assignments, discussions and the likes. Most importantly ensure all your materials, (books, papers, pen, writing pads) are all in place, so you don’t need to spend time searching for your stuff. Be organized, this saves you from a lot of stress.
- Avoid excuses/no procrastination; once you have something to do, go ahead and do it. Why keep it for later when you can do it now. Excuses aren’t going to get you anywhere. Waiting only leads to regrets. Act immediately, without delay, keep away phones, no Facebook or other chats, say no to visit friends until you’ve got the work done. Procrastination only makes you wait longer than you should have.
- Set your goals; Have a list of what you aim at achieving, like you aim at an ‘A’ in Geometry, winning the quiz in Science…, have it all written out. You can post a copy on your wall which serves as a reminder always. It’s so satisfying crossing a goal off of your long to-do list. Imagine the smiles on your face doing it. By keeping a list of goals, you have a strong sense of everything you have to get done. You will be really proud of your accomplishment; the feeling will motivate you to do more to achieve the rest of the items on your list.
- Stay Healthy; health is wealth, so while you are aiming at finishing strong, remember being strong has a lot to do with your health. You wouldn’t want to spend your semester at the Hospital. Ensure you eat right, exercise regularly. Go out, take a walk, jug down the road, visit the Gym, cut down on fast foods and junks, eat a lot of fruits and verges, and drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration. Keeping fit keeps you energized and ready for the task ahead of you, it keeps you inspired and rejuvenated, it is a great avenue to burn out stress and creates time for you to have a reflection on your life and helps you re-strategize on the way forward.
- Reward yourself for doing well and Punishment for not doing well; having finished a hard assignment, it isn’t bad giving yourself a good treat. Knowing that there is something you have to look forward to once you finish your school work will definitely give you the strength to push through and finish everything you need to get done and in good time, cause you just can’t wait to receive your reward. Only remember to do this sparingly, ensuring you give yourself a treat if and only “if” you truly deserve it. But also remember there is a punishment for failing to actualize your goal. When you stick to this, you will find out that you will be motivated to do well.
- Don’t work alone: find support, believe it or not, your friends are going through a similar experience as you are in relation to school. Liaise with them; you can help each other out to stay motivated. Try studying together if they are willing to and you are able to focus on them and keep each other on track. It’s best to pass through a situation with someone else than it is to pass through it alone. It is said, “Two good heads are better than one.” Give it a try and you’d thank me later for this. It saves a whole lot of stress.
Finally, if you are really up to finishing the spring semester strong after a spring vacation, I recommend that you build and maintain a positive attitude towards your work, this will not only motivate you to survive the long stretch spring until summer but will enable you to come out a better “you” eventually. Approach your work with a positive attitude and you will stay determined, focused, and motivated to do the best you can and be the best you can be until you reach the end of the semester!!