Staying motivated

Intrinsically motivated choices

Making choices is an essential part of your academic career. From electives or minors to your thesis topic or Master’s, you can’t avoid it.

You can choose in various ways:

• You can choose smartly: what is the most efficient choice?
• You can choose strategically: what will benefit me most? What will be useful for my future career?
• You can choose with your heart: what is important and means something to me?

Do you choose a degree programme or elective based on the subject matter and the content (intrinsic motivation) or because your friends happen to be choosing it too (extrinsic motivation)? If you’re genuinely interested in the content, you are more likely to succeed academically. You’ll be more confident, you’ll be curious and you’ll be eager to learn.

Take control of your studies

Taking control of your studies means taking your studies and yourself seriously. As well as motivation, this also requires discipline, independence, stamina, personal initiative, curiosity and enthusiasm. Not everyone possesses these qualities to the same degree, they don’t need to. The tips below will really help you with this.

• Keep up to speed with the study materials from the outset. Acquiring knowledge gradually helps keep things manageable and interesting (see also the tips on smart reading, processing the study material and preventing procrastination).
• Attend the non-mandatory lectures too. That way you’ll remain engaged with other students and with the study material. 
• Study in the university library. This will help you concentrate better, increases contact with other students and gives you a sense of solidarity. 
• Make arrangements to study with others. It’s more enjoyable and it’s good for your motivation.
• Having problems with study skills, time management or reading techniques? Student Services offers a wide range of workshops and training courses that will be extremely useful to you both during and after your studies.

Take control of your student life

Try to get the most from your student life from day one. Taking part in the various group activities will help you settle in quickly to university life.

• Get to know other students by taking part in the orientation programme for your degree programme.
• Join the study association for your degree programme. (Alumni) meetings around a related theme will give you a better insight into your course and the various career options available to you.
• Join a student association to chill out and socialise, and to meet students from other degree programmes. 
• Take a course at the Student Cultural Centre CREA and unleash your creative side through music, drama, dance and art.
• Prefer playing sports? The University Sports Centre offers a huge range of sports.

Motivating activities outside of your studies

Taking part in activities and initiatives alongside your studies will help you stay motivated and enhance your knowledge:

• Become a (board) member of a study association or student association or a student committee such as the Introduction Week Committee or ISN (International Student Network).
• Find a strategic part-time job. That way you can get to know your specialist field from the sidelines. 
• Show an interest in people and their work. This will be appreciated and it will give you more insight into the jobs market.
• Keep up to date with current affairs and the news. Focus in particular on topics that are directly or indirectly related to your studies.

Study adviser

Having doubts about your choice of degree programme or problems with motivation? The study adviser can help you with this.

Courses and workshops

The UvA provides support on various topics through training courses and workshops.