Dear Gabby,
I am a single mother of two, work full time and I am a part time student here at Sinclair. Even though I have decided what I want to do career wise, I find that I am lacking motivation. I get distracted by thinking about how much schooling and how many more years of school I have left until I am able to get to where I want to be. I start
thinking about the chunk of time school takes away from spending time with my children and my social life in general. What advice would you give students who are struggling to stay motivated in school when they worry that time is passing them by?
Sincerely,
Frustrated
Dear Frustrated,
This is something I experience in my own life. That thought of wasting time is always in the back of my mind, but then I had an epiphany and thought, if I stop now and lose my motivation, then I will never get to where I want to be. I think it’s important to stay focused on the future and your goals, but you also have a view of what’s right in front of you. You can’t focus on your dreams if you don’t have a clear plan on what you need to accomplish. In the end, this work will pay off and it’ll be so rewarding. Personally, I have a lot of things I am trying to accomplish and it becomes overwhelming, which I am sure you can relate to. But just know that either
way the time will pass by so you might as well stick to the plan, and stay focused. Earl Nightingale once said, “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” My advice to you would be to write out your goals, so you have them visually presented to you. I have motivational quotes and goals that I want to accomplish in my planner to keep me on
track. Always know that your two kids will also appreciate the hard work you are doing to better your life, and theirs as well.
Don’t forget, Sinclair also offers counseling services for students to help with personal and academic obstacles. Visit their office in Building 10 room 424 for free counseling services.
Stay dedicated,
Gabby