How to Motivate Yourself During a Boring Lecture

You are trapped in a freezing cold lecture hall on a Monday morning. Your knees are jammed uncomfortably against the back of a ridiculously small desk, you’re covered in goosebumps the size of eggs, and your eyelids are drooping precariously. Your pencil case keeps falling on the floor, and your chair squeaks at random intervals, as if it, too, is protesting the misery of early morning lecture classes.

The professor stands at the front of the room droning on and on, seemingly oblivious to the stupor steadily settling over the 50 or so pupils required to endure this seemingly unendurable monotony.

It is absurd. How could anyone ever expect you to stay motivated in a 90-minute, 50-person class about a subject that you don’t care about and has nothing to do with your major? How?

Listen, honey. I’ve been there. We all have.

I am here today to give you some tips to transform the unbearably boring into the mildly engaging. We’re all trying to get that A, right? Let me share some secrets.

1. Stay awake. Caffeine is the answer, here — especially if your lecture class is in the morning. Get a carrier mug and fill it with coffee or tea, or buy a soda on the way to class. Having to go to a lecture class after only getting two or three hours of sleep is a terrible experience, but caffeine always, always makes it better. Plus, I guarantee that the class will be more interesting and easier to understand if you’re awake for it.

2. Get comfy. Some lecture halls, especially here at Ithaca College, are extremely cold, and sitting in one for more than 15 minutes can make you feel as though your fingertips are going to just fall off. Layers are your friend.

3. Sit in the front. I know, I know. But sitting in the back is the ultimate cop-out. You sit in the back because you know it’s easier to avoid getting caught while you’re zoning out and taking BuzzFeed quizzes. But trust me, sitting in the front will make it easier to hear what’s going on, engage with the professor, and actually take in some of the material.

4. Introduce yourself to the professor. One of the hardest things about large lecture hall classes is the lack of interaction with the professor, as well as just a general lack of personability. Professors are, for the most part, extremely intelligent and excited about their subjects. They want to share that excitement. If you talk to your professor after class or go to their office hours, they will see you putting in the extra effort, and that can’t hurt your grade! At the very least, they’ll remember you and will be happy to help if you ever have any confusion about what’s going on class. They’ll also be much more likely to cut you some slack if you accidentally oversleep.

5. Get to class a little bit early, and strike up a conversation with someone sitting near you. Having a friend in class with you is one of the best things ever. You will have someone to talk to before and after class, someone to pair with in partner work, and someone to lend you their notes when you miss class. If you both do your best to pay attention and get your work done, there is no question that you will help each other along.

6. Don’t knock it ‘till you try it. Though some lecture hall classes are major-oriented, many are just courses that you have to take to fulfill general requirements. They often have absolutely nothing to do with your major, and they force you to learn information that you have no intention of using again. But, listen: Just because this class isn’t something you’re passionate about, doesn’t mean there isn’t something fascinating that you can learn from it. Every subject is interesting in its own way. Give your lecture hall class a chance.

7. Actually do the homework. So much of homework for lecture classes is reading. And reading and reading and reading. Part of being interested in class is understanding what is going on, so you have to do the reading. One way to make it more fun is to put a very small piece of candy on every paragraph, or every other paragraph. When you get to the candy, you can eat it. This way, homework suddenly becomes delicious.

8. Take colorful notes. Taking notes can be boring, especially if the professor drones a bit. Make note-taking more fun by buying pens in lots of different colors and switching up which pen you use throughout the class. You can even add little drawings to your notes if you feel like it. It’ll help you to remember your notes better, and you’ll have a much more enjoyable time studying for that test when it rolls around.

So next time you’re dreading having to sign up for that 50-person lecture class, tell yourself that it won’t be that bad. As long as you put in a little effort and do your best to make it fun, you’ll survive. You might even enjoy it!