Around this point in the semester, I can feel my motivation disappearing. The first round of tests is finishing, it isn’t close enough to spring break to have something to look forward to, advising for next semester is starting but summer and fall semester are still so far away. For me, February is the month where I am most susceptible to skipping classes, winging assignments and falling behind.
For those of us in Greek Life, it’s that time in Sing season where the initial excitement has worn off, but the performance excitement hasn’t set in yet. It seems like I always have a test or paper or project to be working on, and it feels like it is never going to end. It seems like every morning I debate going to class, but in the back of my mind I know whether or not I go to class now, midterms will still come and finals aren’t really that far away. It is around this time I have to turn to my friends and ask them to help keep me motivated and accountable. This time every semester, I am reminded how important a strong support system is in college.
I am thankful for my friends for so many things, but one thing I rarely realize is how much they contribute to my academic success. My friends, both here at Baylor and back home, are as invested in my education and success as I am – sometimes maybe even more than I am.
They “encourage” me to get out of bed by calling repeatedly, so there is no point in me staying in bed because I’ll never get any sleep. I can’t even count how many times I wanted to leave the library but didn’t because my friends were there studying with me.
My friends see the rough drafts of assignments that would make my professors cringe, but they never judge and always offer their best suggestions and edits. I can always count on my friends for late night coffee runs and just enough study breaks to ensure we keep our sanity but still kill the exam.
Although we are tested on our knowledge alone, college is often a joint effort between family, students and friends.
I know I would not be as well off in my academic career without my friends motivating and supporting me. Don’t forget to appreciate your friends for pushing you to be better just as much as you do for the laughs and fun times.
They say that you become like the people you surround yourself with most. I am blessed to say my friends have such a positive impact on my life, and I am so thankful for them.
Kalyn Story is a sophomore and political science major from Chicago, Ill.
