We’re in the beginning of the first semester of College…again. But not for me anymore.

I’ve been through the grind of starting every academic semester for the past 10 years — from being a freshman and all the way to being a Ph.D student.

I’ve studied a lot of things. See my story for more.

And I absolutely love learning and growing.

However, studying and motivating yourself to study daily is a tough challenge for many people. It’s not easy to get up every day, go to classes, come back after a long day and still have to study some more. I know how you feel.

But that’s not how it should be. There’s a way to get yourself to study every day and to do so efficiently. Here are my favorite tips for studying daily.

1. Pick a Major You Love

If you don’t get this part right, then you’re going to face a never ending uphill battle throughout your college experience.

A lot of people will try to sway your into what they think works. And they will try to influence your decision and the major you pick. You have to understand that this is your life to live and you want to live with your decisions and not the decisions of others.

I am saying this because I’ve been through that myself. I started out as a computer science major, but I very quickly recognized where my heart was. I read Plato’s Cave in my freshman year, and I knew right then and there that I wanted to do something in the humanities. So I followed my heart and I changed my major despite pleas from family, friends, and some professors, but I knew what I wanted to do with my life: I wanted to study Philosophy and History because that’s what I truly loved.

I ended up pursuing two Masters degrees and a Ph.D in those fields, and I haven’t had a problem finding work.

So don’t overthink the market and the needs of the job market at this point in your life just yet. You can certainly do a minor in business (if you think that will help you land a job) or take courses in computer science or marketing and emphasize that part of your education on your resume and cover letter. There are so many ways to market yourself even if you didn’t major in the “right” thing, and you will have a better sense of that when it’s time to enter the job market. But for now, focus on what you love.

That’s the first step to ignite that desire in you to do something great and motivate yourself to work on it daily.

2. Always Be Ahead

A lot of students can’t motivate themselves to study because they’re overwhelmed by the material.

In each class, you will learn new concepts, the jargon of that field, and various approaches to questions and problems. In sum, there are a lot of technicalities that you will be exposed to for the first time. Multiply that by 4 or 5 courses, and you have a lot on your plate.

So what do you do to motivate yourself to study?

Studying at home or in the library just before an exam will make you hate your education. There’s so much to tackle and it all seems very hard.

So in order to avoid that, you need to start early. You need to get in the habit of skimming and scanning and familiarize yourself with the material sooner than later. This means reading when you’re on the bus, reading in the cafeteria, or anywhere else just to keep the material “close” to you. The closer you get to the material, the easier it will be for you to learn it and digest it.

You also have to read the material from multiple sources. That’s, for me, the best part about learning. I love to see how other authors present the same material. It teaches me more about writing and expression and also it’s a superior way of learning the material without having to reread the same old, and sometimes boring, text.

There are a ton of free information on the internet (and at your library) that will give you another presentation of that reading. So look for it and give it a read.

See this post on how to overcome procrastination, and see this one to help you understand the difference between superstar students and regular (but really good) students.

3. Use Free Resources

There are an abundance of free resources on campus.

There are tutors, writing centers, study groups, and a whole lot of things to help you learn.

There’s really no shortage of such resources. See my 6 insider tips on how to succeed in College.

Learning is fun, but it’s not effortless. Imagine wanting to learn how to swim without wanting to put the work in. That’s just not how things work. You have to put in the time to see improvements.

And that’s the key.

The better you get at learning, the more enjoyable it’s going to be. And the more fun you have learning, the better you will get at it.

4. Class Interaction

Motivating yourself to study in college is not only a matter of inspiration.

You have to interact with the material and to do so in your classes. This includes asking questions, asking for clarification, answering questions when they’re asked in class.

You need to be an active student in your classes. That will answer your questions but also peak your curiosity to want to learn more. And that will allow you to study more.

But in order to be effective in your classes, you must, again, skim and scan your material before you go to classes. Write some questions in the margins and think of the best way to express your point or question.

Also plan to use office hours. Meet with your professor and have a conversation with him or her about your interest in the course.

Also get acquainted with your department. Who are the faculty and what do they teach?

By doing all of these things, you’re making it more compelling for you to be part of that department and by the same token, that will drive you to want to study and excel.