I am here 2 days before 2 big exams and I can't seem to make myself pick up the book again. I can't bring myself to turn off the football game and stop checking my e-mail and reading threads on SDN. Any suggestions?
What do you do when you've lost the motivation
- Thread starter Tangent
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You probably just need some rest. Instead of actively distracting yourself from your studies, and being in limbo (not having fun and also not getting any studying done), let go of the idea that you are going to study right now, dive fully into whatever you are doing. Then, after a short while, take a deep breath, recommit, and dig deep bro. 🙂
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Maybe it will help you to know that you aren't alone in that. I get that way often.
I think it helps me to stop feeling guilty when I am wanting to do anything but study. Then, I give myself permission to do something else and really enjoy it. Then, I'm more motivated to study afterwards.
After all, we are not robots. We are human. Give yourself a break. But remember your goals and why you are in med. school. And remember that studying is a necessary means to those goals.
Thanks for posting though - we need to be honest with each other about the fact that we are still human.
Good luck!!!! Take a good break....then GET BACK TO WORK!!! WE CAN DO IT!!!!
I think it helps me to stop feeling guilty when I am wanting to do anything but study. Then, I give myself permission to do something else and really enjoy it. Then, I'm more motivated to study afterwards.
After all, we are not robots. We are human. Give yourself a break. But remember your goals and why you are in med. school. And remember that studying is a necessary means to those goals.
Thanks for posting though - we need to be honest with each other about the fact that we are still human.
Good luck!!!! Take a good break....then GET BACK TO WORK!!! WE CAN DO IT!!!!
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I hear ya. Lets face it there is a human side of man also, as said we're not robots. This how I only partially tackle it. Id like to NOT have that 150k loan hanging over my head for infinity. Also dont want to let down my folks, family, myself, etc. Also in my case -I want to be the first in my family to break the ice in this medical arena. Also I think at times many use "DENIAL" which is totally lame.
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Not sure. I'm so bored/sick of looking at the material at this point. I'm just happy that PopMed will be over with on Monday.
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When you lose the motivation...
stop looking so hard for it, I guess.
Relax, get counseling if you want to, prioritize your life goals. I'm not an MS yet but I've felt the same way during college. Also, if you do not have a lot of friends, stop looking so hard for them, people will come naturally when you're in peace with yourself. In the meantime, try finding exactly WHY you feel that way. There's always a reason, whether you are aware of it or not.
stop looking so hard for it, I guess.
Relax, get counseling if you want to, prioritize your life goals. I'm not an MS yet but I've felt the same way during college. Also, if you do not have a lot of friends, stop looking so hard for them, people will come naturally when you're in peace with yourself. In the meantime, try finding exactly WHY you feel that way. There's always a reason, whether you are aware of it or not.
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if I look at this biochem for just one more hour, I swear I'm going to go postal...
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how did you know he went there?? hey i miss talking to you. 🙁
to the OP: just keep looking at the long term goal and tell yourself it's worth it; that it's only for a short-time and it will be worth it. break it up into smaller segments...reward yourself when youy accomplish one goal and then move on. You can do it!!
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Yeah, it's weird, I was so hyped about med school only a few months ago, but now.....blech, I do not feel the motivation to study like in college (where I killed myself trying to do well). I try to make sure to give myself space if I need it, take breaks before I burn out and take it one day at a day....also keeping in mind that there's a reason why people think med school is tough. 😛
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I am so glad that I found this thread because I was beginning to feel guilty for not having the motivation to study. I know there is alot to be done but when I look at the books, I don't know where to start!! When I am reading ahead for lectures, I feel that I should be studying for what we covered already...etc. My school started just about a week ago and anxiety is building up. Help?
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Hey, I was at the same point in the first weeks and I had to totally revamp how I was studying. In the beginning I would sit down and be like, ok, I'm going to read the reading assignment for X upcoming lecture, then I would wade thru some massive textbook chapter outlining it like a good active reader. Which left no time to actually study, but I didn't know what to do because they told us it was imperative to read ahead during orientation. Well, one of my tank mates who was in the same situation went to talk to one of the anatomy proffs who said it was the approach that was all wrong, . . .instead of saying "tonight I'm going to read the chapter about the upper extremity" say "next I'm going to learn the blood supply of the upper extremity" and sit there with your textbook, your BRS, your atlases (I suggest Netters and Rohens) and your bones (if your school supplies these). Use all your resources at once. So you're still reading the book, but in a way that makes you learn rather than dredging thru a reading assignment. I hope this helps, its still pretty slow going but at least I feel like I am acomplishing something.
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VPD and Tangent I feel your pain. I just can't seem to motivate myself to study as much as I probably should. I just can't wait for pop med to be over.
Tangent, don't worry about the motivation, it will come when you need it (like when anatomy starts). Since biochem and pop med are really straight forward
it's hard to make yourself study. When the course work gets more difficult and the stress levels rise you will find that you have no problem finding the motivation.
Beginnings of a rant:
I hate monday exams. I wish we had this one on friday. I find that even if I feel ready for a 'monday exam' on friday I can't take the weekend off. I just keep going through material that I already know and I feel guilty if I go out. Plus you never have too much motivation to start studying the day after an exam. So for monday exams you get behind and then have to play catch-up for the next exam. Friday exams let you get it over and done with. You have the weekend to relax so that you are ready to do some work on monday (well maybe not, but you probably have more motivation than if you had an exam the day before).
You know what I hate?
Those people who sit in the front of the class and ask a question that they already know the answer to but want everyone else in the class to know just how smart they are and how they know so much more info than the professor is presenting. Yeah, great champ, you spent your summers studying some obscure biochemical pathway and now you want to waste my time by asking an asanine question just to indirectly assert that you are a smart guy. Look I knew you were a gunner when I realized that without fail, everytime I went into the library you were sitting there studying. You spend 8 hours a day studying. Jesus, the fact that everytime you ask a question people groan should give you a hint. I would rather you just stood up at the beginning of every week and said, "hey guys I am a douche bag but really smart. I just wanted everyone to know." That would save me a lot of time.
This is only slightly more annoying than the guy next to him correcting the professor with some little known exception to whatever rule to professor just doled out. The professor has a lot of information to present and so he/she sums it up with these broad generalizations, so shut up. Again, I knew you were 'one of those guys' by the fact that your hand was furiously copying all the crap that came out of the professors mouth on the first day of orientation. You also put your tape recorder next to the professor each class so that after it you can spend 3 hours listening and rewinding the lecture just to make sure that you didnt miss anything. The fact that you have a PhD in the subject and could honors the class if given all of the tests on the first day makes no difference in how you approach the class.
Now guys, if upon reading this you realize that you are one of 'those guys' discribed above and in my class, I have a very simple solution for you. At around 1am go to Hull Street in the bad area of town in that really expensive suit you own. Make sure to take a big wad of cash and count it while walking down the street all the time cursing about how minorities are ruining America. Make sure to drop a few loud racial slurs. When a group of very large, angry men begin to follow you, flip them off and then turn off of the main road into a dark alley.
Tangent, don't worry about the motivation, it will come when you need it (like when anatomy starts). Since biochem and pop med are really straight forward
it's hard to make yourself study. When the course work gets more difficult and the stress levels rise you will find that you have no problem finding the motivation.
Beginnings of a rant:
I hate monday exams. I wish we had this one on friday. I find that even if I feel ready for a 'monday exam' on friday I can't take the weekend off. I just keep going through material that I already know and I feel guilty if I go out. Plus you never have too much motivation to start studying the day after an exam. So for monday exams you get behind and then have to play catch-up for the next exam. Friday exams let you get it over and done with. You have the weekend to relax so that you are ready to do some work on monday (well maybe not, but you probably have more motivation than if you had an exam the day before).
You know what I hate?
Those people who sit in the front of the class and ask a question that they already know the answer to but want everyone else in the class to know just how smart they are and how they know so much more info than the professor is presenting. Yeah, great champ, you spent your summers studying some obscure biochemical pathway and now you want to waste my time by asking an asanine question just to indirectly assert that you are a smart guy. Look I knew you were a gunner when I realized that without fail, everytime I went into the library you were sitting there studying. You spend 8 hours a day studying. Jesus, the fact that everytime you ask a question people groan should give you a hint. I would rather you just stood up at the beginning of every week and said, "hey guys I am a douche bag but really smart. I just wanted everyone to know." That would save me a lot of time.
This is only slightly more annoying than the guy next to him correcting the professor with some little known exception to whatever rule to professor just doled out. The professor has a lot of information to present and so he/she sums it up with these broad generalizations, so shut up. Again, I knew you were 'one of those guys' by the fact that your hand was furiously copying all the crap that came out of the professors mouth on the first day of orientation. You also put your tape recorder next to the professor each class so that after it you can spend 3 hours listening and rewinding the lecture just to make sure that you didnt miss anything. The fact that you have a PhD in the subject and could honors the class if given all of the tests on the first day makes no difference in how you approach the class.
Now guys, if upon reading this you realize that you are one of 'those guys' discribed above and in my class, I have a very simple solution for you. At around 1am go to Hull Street in the bad area of town in that really expensive suit you own. Make sure to take a big wad of cash and count it while walking down the street all the time cursing about how minorities are ruining America. Make sure to drop a few loud racial slurs. When a group of very large, angry men begin to follow you, flip them off and then turn off of the main road into a dark alley.
not to hijack your thread, but i'm having an awful time as an m1. i go to class, but i just can't study as much as i know i need to. i am terribly depressed, and yes, i am getting help. but i feel like i'm going to fail all my midterms before the therapy/meds start to work.
i even started looking into nurse practitioner options because i don't know how i'm gonna get through these first 2 years of med school. i have no idea what will become of me. i've never felt so low.
i even started looking into nurse practitioner options because i don't know how i'm gonna get through these first 2 years of med school. i have no idea what will become of me. i've never felt so low.
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this dosn't work for me at all.
Instead I try and convince myself that someday I will need to apply some part of this knowledge (yes perhaps even SNRPs will matter in the future) to a patient. furthermore, how would i explain to a greiving family that I missed something basic in treatment of there loved one, because i just couldnt get myself to study for basic anatomy.
screw your grades/residency, study like someones life depends on it.
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Glida, I'm really sorry you're having such a hard time. Good for you for getting help - that's a big and difficult step. You've still got some time before midterms - you may be able to catch up. If it doesn't look like that will work, though, talk to your dean of students or whoever in the administration is responsible for helping students out. At my school they're very understanding and willing to work out alternatives if you show that you're trying to work through things too. Good luck.
its funny- exercise is my excuse not to study- it like 'oh maybe i should go running now instead of studying' and take a really long run- which is good in a way, but doesn't solve this particular problem
and to the poster who suggested going somewhere to study-its funny i tried that this morning and maybe it was b/c it was a sunday morning after-chruch crowed, but i swear there were ill-behaved children at almost every freakin table (what is with this generation of permissive parents- in a public place your kid is not cute when screaming at top of his/her lungs) - i guess i maybe a different location next time
to my instatewaitlister classmate- it is good to hear that i am not the only one in the class who feels that way about our front-rowers
to all who have been posting- although i haven't formulated a rock-solid solution you have been very helpful.
and to the poster who suggested going somewhere to study-its funny i tried that this morning and maybe it was b/c it was a sunday morning after-chruch crowed, but i swear there were ill-behaved children at almost every freakin table (what is with this generation of permissive parents- in a public place your kid is not cute when screaming at top of his/her lungs) - i guess i maybe a different location next time
to my instatewaitlister classmate- it is good to hear that i am not the only one in the class who feels that way about our front-rowers
to all who have been posting- although i haven't formulated a rock-solid solution you have been very helpful.
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I am not a fan of the front-row people either. I wish they would just ask their damn questions after class or through the message board. It's such a waste of everyone's time.
PS - I have officially lost 95% of my motivation to study.
PS - I have officially lost 95% of my motivation to study.
thank you lorelei.
we are on a quarter system though, and midterms start tomorrow. eek!
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Exactly. Nobody cares how smart you appear. Catching up the prof, just like you did in ugrad, doesn't get you anywhere. There's no essays, extra credit, or brownie points. It's all CBT, so be quiet, and let me get my tuition's worth.
That being said, I have no problem with people asking 'narrowing of focus' questions. I am a big fan of anyone who gets me out of memorizing some silly table that isn't related to anything because it won't be on the test.
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Think about volunteering in a clinic. Somewhere where they'd let you get your hands dirty. I think about all of the kids I helped in my last job, and think about how jumping through these hoops will get me one step closer to being a physican and being able to have an even greater positive impact on their lives.
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To glida: the amount of info is overwhelming so know that you are not alone. Most people are treading water trying to stay afloat. If you put in a good effort you will see that you will do just fine on your midterms. If you dont happen to do as well as you hope, most schools have a support system where they will help you improve how and what you study for the next tests. There is always the next exam. Remember P=MD (pass=doctor). Your grades first 2 years make very little difference in terms of residency (most say only 15%) despite what the people above have been getting at. Third year rotations and boards are the important things.
Anyone who has the balls to interupt a professor while he's teaching to ask if what he's teaching us is going to be on the exam is a hero in my book.
VPDcurt, when you said you have lost 95% of your motivation, all I could think of was 95%- 2 Standard deviations. I hate popmed.
Anyone who has the balls to interupt a professor while he's teaching to ask if what he's teaching us is going to be on the exam is a hero in my book.
VPDcurt, when you said you have lost 95% of your motivation, all I could think of was 95%- 2 Standard deviations. I hate popmed.
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Have you had any tests so far that you can use to gauge where you're at? You might be doing better than you think. Also, how much are these midterms worth? If your entire grade is midterms then finals, I'm guessing you won't fail just because you fail the midterm.
Anyway, my advice would be to keep on plugging away. Set a goal to study x many hours a day and try to keep to it. Also, do something fun! Really, it's important when you're getting depressed.
The classic rule of depression is not to shake things up when you're depressed because your perspective is honestly hosed. Don't quit a job, get a divorce, drop out of school, etc. until you're sure you're not depressed. Good luck -- it takes time, but you will feel better.
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Yeah I'm more or less done here too. I wish I could take the damn things right now.
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thanks so much for this. i will keep going. even if i fail midterms, i know all hope is not lost.
thanks everyone for your encouragement. sometimes it feels like the adcom made a mistake accepting me, but i've heard others feeling the same way at times.
ah, how my husband wishes...
