I got into grad school

[mscongeniality1]

I've been bitten by the senioritis bug and I have it bad. I'm on GradCafe with the Duke-Arizona game on in the background. My paper is waiting patiently for me in its minimized MS Word window.

Anyone else lacking motivation? Anyone else have encouragement/words of advice/tips to stay motivated? I know I'll be mad at myself if I don't get a good grade on this meaningless assignment, but my work ethic has sort of...eh...bottomed out at the moment.

[fuzzylogician]

Well, periods of more and of less motivation come and go. I think it's totally understandable in your situation, and I honestly don't think it'll be the worst thing ever if you get a bad grade on a meaningless paper. As long as you still meet all of your requirements and graduate on time, I don't see the harm in a little bit of slacking off. In fact, I think an important piece of advice for anyone starting grad school is to learn to manage one's time, which may include spending less time on less important tasks, even at the cost of a lower grade or a less-than-desirable final product, as long as the important stuff gets done. The important stuff includes taking time off to rest and for personal purposes (as well as research and other more important work-related activities).

So, this may not be helping, but as long as you are doing what you need to graduate on time and move on to grad school without a hitch, I don't think senioritis is all that terribly bad. It's a much better time to slack off than when grad school starts. You want to be well-rested and motivated then.

Edited March 25, 2011 by fuzzylogician

[MoJingly]

So, this may not be helping, but as long as you are doing what you need to graduate on time and move on to grad school without a hitch, I don't think senioritis is all that terribly bad. It's a much better time to slack off than when grad school starts. You want to be well-rested and motivated then.

I agree!

Or, OP, were you looking for tough love? Want us to say "suck it up! Do the work!" ?

Because we can do that, if it will help

[mscongeniality1]

I agree!

Or, OP, were you looking for tough love? Want us to say "suck it up! Do the work!" ?

Because we can do that, if it will help

Haha! Thanks for all the insight! You guys do make some good points. I maybe was looking for tough love a little, but I'll definitely take the encouragement to procrastinate.

For the record, the only thing this class is required for is my child development/family studies minor. I could have graduated last semester so # of credits isn't an issue really, and I think at this point I'd have to try really hard to fail. The only reason why I'm concerned is because I know I'll look back and regret slacking off because I'll know I was capable of doing better work. Oh, these mind games I play with myself! Haha.

[neuropsych76]

I'm in the same bout as you mscongeniality1. I've completed all my course work and I'm just finishing up my sociology minor with two easy soc classes this semester along with my honors thesis (which only needs revised and defended, the research is all done ). I had limited motivation before I was accepted but now it is all gone.

I have almost no motivation to start this sociology paper and i just got a 6/10 on a quiz because simply because i didn't feel like studying. I'm hoping this doesn't transfer over to grad school because I am an awful student right now.

[mscongeniality1]

I'm in the same bout as you mscongeniality1. I've completed all my course work and I'm just finishing up my sociology minor with two easy soc classes this semester along with my honors thesis (which only needs revised and defended, the research is all done ). I had limited motivation before I was accepted but now it is all gone.

I have almost no motivation to start this sociology paper and i just got a 6/10 on a quiz because simply because i didn't feel like studying. I'm hoping this doesn't transfer over to grad school because I am an awful student right now.

Yep yep! My grad seminar was the first 8 weeks of the semester so now I have no MWF classes. My lab partner and I have finished collecting data for our independent study research so all we have to do is finish running the stats in SPSS and do a final writeup for our supervisor. This paper (in adolescent development) is pretty much the only thing I've got left, aside from my pass/fail British literature class.

In addition, I really can't stand my paper topic: "Are girls bigger bullies than boys?" We're evaluating two journal articles that *supposedly* take opposing views but don't seem to clearly conflict (at least to me). I mean normally I'd find this area interesting but the fact that our sources are assigned to us is killing me. I'm so used to going out and finding my own sources that this step back is messing me up!

Haha...look at me blabbering and not writing my paper...I hope this is entertaining for anyone who reads this.

[neuropsych76]

Yep yep! My grad seminar was the first 8 weeks of the semester so now I have no MWF classes. My lab partner and I have finished collecting data for our independent study research so all we have to do is finish running the stats in SPSS and do a final writeup for our supervisor. This paper (in adolescent development) is pretty much the only thing I've got left, aside from my pass/fail British literature class.

In addition, I really can't stand my paper topic: "Are girls bigger bullies than boys?" We're evaluating two journal articles that *supposedly* take opposing views but don't seem to clearly conflict (at least to me). I mean normally I'd find this area interesting but the fact that our sources are assigned to us is killing me. I'm so used to going out and finding my own sources that this step back is messing me up!

Haha...look at me blabbering and not writing my paper...I hope this is entertaining for anyone who reads this.

Haha i did find it somewhat entertaining to read, and it delayed me slightly from writing me own paper!

That's awful that you can't pick your own sources though. I'm having trouble writing a paper about something where I didn't do my own research since i've been so involved with my thesis paper.

Glad to know i'm not the only one infected with senioritis, best of luck!

[natsteel]

I have a similar problem, though in reverse. I am finishing up my last 19 credits this semester including a few core requirements which I put off to the very end. At the same time, I am writing a second honors research essay. Unlike the OP, I am having no trouble getting motivated to work on the research paper, but to get up for my economics and literature classes is taking some real doing. I even feel like, for the first time, I could care less what grade I get in those classes as long as I pass and get the credits needed for graduation.

[Arcadian]

YES, I also have become a terrible student since being accepted into grad school. Admittedly, my responsibilities this semester are quite minimal. I'm not even doing a thesis like many of you are. My undergrad research duties are ridiculously easy, as is my job. I will probably get all As (perhaps one despite my poor study habits lately. I'm taking three classes in my major, which I like a lot, and one in my minor which I hate. But I'm just ready to move onto to bigger things now. It's hard to care about these petty undergraduate tasks when I know I'm moving on to bigger, better things.