Even though the heat of summer is slowly leaving Ames, it is still important to keep the motivation we have been saving up all summer and work as hard as we can during the short amount of time we are in school.

Even though it might seem like the three assignments we have due in the next hour are just too much to handle, I promise you can do it.

Believe it or not, college is going to feel like it’s going by in the blink of an eye. One day, you might even miss the all-nighters in the library before finals and hauling a heavy backpack from the Molecular Biology Building to Ross Hall in 10 minutes. Savor these moments while they are here.

Fall semester brings a massive amount of work and colder, darker weather. That means students can no longer spend hours by the pool, simply listening to music or actually take their sweet time completing projects, labs and homework for their summer online classes. Instead of relaxing and enjoying the sun, we are asked to do so much work. No matter what we are given though, put your head down and make it through.

Something that can help overcome the stress of fall semester is finding somewhere you can focus on your work. Whether that is somewhere in the library or a table in your dorm hall, find the right place to bunker down and blast through your assignments will create a positive work environment that you can continue to go back to.

An article published by Emphasis on Excellence states that “getting up to go to class is a habit you want to integrate right from the start. You might have to get up out of bed…Wherever you are, when it’s time to go to class, get up and go. Oh, and bring your body, your brain, and your heart. Learn everything you can – in class and out of class. Going to college opens up new possibilities to you on an hourly basis. You will learn from your roommates, from your professors, from weird kids who hang out where you do…”

Going to class and taking in everything around you will make the world of difference. Missing one class might make you miss an in-class assignment, but you will also miss everything that professor said that day, the questions that were asked and maybe the connection you could’ve made with the person you normally sit near.

An article by Workzone.com states that making a to-do list or a checklist can help break down what you nee­­­d to do into smaller, more manageable pieces. Sometimes, breaking large things down is the best way to tackle them.

Checking off things in a to-do list can make you feel more accomplished during a time of struggle. It can also help keep you on-track to ensure assignments get done on time or even before their due date.

Keeping focused on one thing at a time, instead of trying to do everything at once, can help solidify your intake of information. Instead of doing a Thermodynamics assignment during your Art History lecture, put down your laptop, phone and other homework and focus on the lecture you are in. Taking notes is also a good way to maintain focus.

No matter what you’re stressed about this fall, try some of these tips to tackle writers’ block or that lack of motivation that hits us all at some point during the school year. And know that there is a whole army behind you ready to help you succeed at Iowa State.