The Academic Achievement Center hosted a workshop to help find ways to motivate a typical college student. (Olivia Stenger/The Daily Campus)
Aimed at those college students who sometimes struggle to get out of bed in the morning, an “Igniting Your Motivation” workshop was held Wednesday evening by the Academic Achievement Center.
Assistant Director of Academic Support Monique S. Negron started the workshop because she began to notice that, “at this point in the semester, students become really unmotivated.” Negron said she created the workshop to motivate students.
Negron opened the conversation about academics with the topic of procrastination, asking students to raise their hands if they had ever encountered procrastination. Procrastination is something most people come across, Negron noted.
The workshop defined motivation with three words: activation, persistence and intensity. In order to become motivated, Negron said, something must be activated within a person that compels them to reach for their goal. Following that, a person must be persistent and focused on the future of their success.
Negron shared her own experiences with motivation, particularly her own healthy living success. She recalled that seeing other people succeed in their goals was one big motivator that led her to her goal of health and fitness.
“Surround yourself with like-minded people with similar goals,” Negron said.
Students were required to fill out a “passion roadmap.” Students listed their goals according to the duration of time which they envisioned to accomplish the goal: three months, one year, three years and a lifetime.
For five minutes, students were instructed to believe that anything written on the roadmap would become true. Each goal, Negron encouraged, should not be bound by realistic expectations, but should be anything the student desired.
Each student was then instructed to pick one goal from their three month category that would have the most impact on their lives. Negron asked students to write down the due date for the goal and to write all steps and actions the student could do in order to accomplish the goal.
Negron continued to share ways she motivated herself. Positive quotes and motivational music or videos, she said, helped her during her journey for a healthier lifestyle.
Negron encouraged students to enable their environment.
“Are your daily behaviors a reflection of the magnitude of your dreams?” Negron asked at one point.
Negron argued that getting into the right mindset and being persistent was necessary for success. Daily behavior needs to reflect desire for success. In order to do this, one must create rules, set limitations, learn balance and develop new habits.
Negron offered another tip to students, telling them that they should plot the progress of success.
“Recognize the small successes that pile up to the bigger goal,” Negron said.
Negron advised students to activate a support team and seek a mentor who has achieved the success that they desire. Finally, Negron insisted that students practice self-care.
“Take care of your star player,” Negron said.
Self-care includes getting enough sleep, eating well and learning how to cope with stress. Negron sympathized with students that college is a very stressful time, but pointed out several resources on campus available to help students manage stress.
When asked if the workshop ignited her motivation, first semester pre-teaching major Alexis Rinaldi remarked that it helped her realize that even if you have many goals, you must first tackle one goal before you can accomplish them all.
“Everyone has a million things to accomplish,” said Rinaldi . “You have to start somewhere.”
