So my first exam is Monday the 19th at 7pm and I've been studying since Monday the 28th. I have all my exams between Monday night and Wednesday evening (orgo 20a3, bio 2f03, bio2c03, math 2r03) and my motivation has been decreasing exponentially.

How do you guys stay concentrated? I can't study in my house, and Thode has lost it's appeal to me after two and a half weeks. But I can't quit now, I'm still not ready! D:

Plus, I figure after this long there's other students out there that need some motivation tips!

the fear of failing lol

Even though you aren't quite ready for your exams, I'd still consider taking half a day or even a full day off from studying and actually doing some things that put you at ease. Exercise I think is the most universal remedy for refreshing. You can even try ending today early just to sleep. For me some times its just that I'm tired. These things usually get me back into action.

You can write down why you're here and stick on your wall or something just to remind you. I find that around these times its just hanging in there and I keep telling myself that I've done this before, I can do it again. And to put things to in perspective, it's only another week.. which isn't as long as it seems and before you know it you're done.

And besides you've come this far. There's a phase outside my CA's room and it says: "You were smart enough to get here, you're smart enough to stay here." which I figure is very true and it keeps me on track with my studying.

Best of luck everyone!

There are no motivation secrets. Whether or not you want to do well is within yourself.

I find my ability to get through material is related to how many distraction sources are available.. most of this is related to internet access. What I've been doing is: downloading all my notes, putting them on a usb drive (not laptop), and then studying in a computer lab from that usb drive. Try to find a computer that only has McMaster network access (all the computers in itb for engineers have restricted internet), but otherwise find a crappy computer than can handle PDF/whatever files okay but make watching videos, internet chatting, or facebook browsing atrocious.

Two of my classes allow formula sheets, so what I've been doing, is going through the material and rewriting inportant concepts to help me create my final sheet.. even if your course doesn't have this, it helps to make formula/reference sheets because you're forcing yourself to reexplore and reinforce the concepts.

Something I've found out after a couple years of undergrad:

I think there are two main forms of distraction/lack of motivation. One is superficial, which is essentially what Ryan described, so I won't reiterate the whole thing. Things like FB, Internet in general, YouTube, cell phones, friends in the library, etc, would fall into this category.

The other form would be the innate one, where, even if you have no distractions in front of you, you zone out as soon as you read 2 sentences on the page, or get up and "get water" or feel like you should eat, or clean your room, etc.

For me, once again as Ryan said, there are good ways to avoid the superficial distractions. However if you can't read more than half a page without just zoning out and staring at a wall, then it means you're not in the mood to study. Don't force it. particle gives some good advice; take 2-4 hours off and just enjoy. You're clearly not going to get any good studying done anyway. Don't bother guilting yourself either, if you don't want to study then you don't want to study. Then try getting back into it later in the day.

Also think about your physiology while this is occurring - how do certain foods affect your mood? Chocolate and caffeine, fruits, exercise, stretching, when you wake up and sleep - these are all factors that can make it more likely for you to be "in the mood" versus not. Naturally this isn't something you can figure out within 4 days, but something to keep in mind over the next 2-3 years.

Good luck ^_^

4 years of effort

85 years of reward.

if you dont study and do bad on your exams, you will regret it for the rest of your life!!

Inaction is worse than failure. Just do it!

Originally Posted by ZSimon

4 years of effort

85 years of reward.

wow ... thats means your going to be living til ... umm.. 1..2.. 3.. 105!!! at least lol

Lend your laptop to a friend if it helps..

+ Reward urself with phoood/treat urself after every chapter.
Try to keep it healthy, you want your mind working at its maximum potential.
(avoid caffeine, chocos, chips, any other junk)
(If not food, something else that you might like.)
Be silly. Look in the mirror and brag about yourself. Make faces. Imitate someone you hate.
Have a good laugh Relax..

Keep yourself focused for 40 mins, then take a 10 min break (listen to music, play a game of soduko, take a power nap). You might get carried away and extend it further to a 20/30 min. break, DONT do that! If you feel tempted, set an alarm.. or a stopwatch to put you back on track.
After every 3-4 hours or so, take a walk outside or go for a light jog. Stretch, breathe, relax.

Most importantly, smile! Remember, you know this stuff. You're merely reviewing.
Be confident.
Good Luck bud Don't worry, you'll do well.

For some reason when I eat gingerbread cookies and drink pepsi I get really hardcore into studying.

Downside is that I have a limited gingerbread supply, and said combination gives me violent flatulence.

First exam on the 19th...brutal.

OT: I find I study better under pressure. I'll slack days before an exam but the day before or 2 days before I'll feel the pressure to study and surprisingly get a lot done. But then again I've had 1 exam a day since Monday.