When I was in high school, the ultimate goal was to get to college and then find a decent and stable job. But now I realize that while getting to college was one thing, getting through it is easier said than done.
College students have to face numerous challenges and struggles, often on a day-to-day basis.
Imagine a little bird, leaving the comfort of its nest and learning to fly for the first time. Just like the little bird, you’d have to do things on your own in order to survive.
You would need to manage your finances efficiently, get a few jobs so that you always have food on the table (if your parents don’t support you financially), deal with excessive tuition, housing, transportation, textbook costs, and establish connections and build relationships with your peers so that you don’t feel lonely.
Now add peer pressure and a hectic college workload, and you have a recipe for disaster.
College students are more vulnerable to stress and depression, and it’s easy for them to lose motivation in life. There will be days when you feel like you’re spreading yourself too thin and carrying the world on your shoulders. During those days, it’s important to take a step back and find time to get inspiration.
With this, I’m going to share 15 motivational quotes with you that every college student should read in order to help you get through the difficult parts of the student life.
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” – Beverly Sills
When you feel like giving up, always remember that what you’re doing now will shape your future. The process may seem difficult, but in order to get to the land flowing with milk honey, you’ll have to experience being in the wilderness for a time. Know that it’ll be all worth it in the end.
“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” – Thomas Edison
Don’t let one failure be the cause for giving up. When you fall, get back up and try again. Remember that you won’t always get it right the first time, the second and maybe even the next few tries. But it’s important that you never stop trying.
“You don’t have to choose between doing good and doing well.” – Tim Cook
Sometimes, all you need to do is keep on doing what you love. Your thoughts and your values matter. If you feel like the path before you is not one you should take, trust your gut and follow your heart. There is nothing wrong with going back and reassessing your needs and wants. Sometimes, doing what you love is all you need to do well.
Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier
Just as the saying “Rome wasn’t built in a day” goes, success doesn’t just happen overnight. It is a continuous process of improving oneself day-in and day-out. Sometimes, when it feels like you’re not making much of a difference, you just have to do your best because the smallest ripples will eventually turn into giant waves.
“Your goals are the roadmaps that guide you and show you what is possible for your life.” – Les Brown
It’s easy to just ride with the wind and go where the currents take you. However, your goals determine which direction you should take and remind you whenever you go off course. Life can be quite simple when you know what you want, but college can definitely make it confusing. So when you feel overwhelmed with everything going on around you, just take a moment to breathe and tell yourself where it is you really want to go. There may be bumps on the road, but you should never stop moving forward.
“Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.” – John Wooden
College life is a journey of exploration. You enter college, thinking you know what it is you want to do, but along the way, life will present you situations that will test the limits of your knowledge and abilities. The U.S. is a place of second chances, and you definitely won’t have things figured out by the time you graduate from high school.
Take time to search and explore. Once you find the thing you want, take hold of it firmly.
But always remember, you won’t always be the best in everything, but do not let this knowledge dissuade you from pursuing what you want in life but rather motivate you to work with what you have to the best of your abilities.
“Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford
People often say, try and try until you succeed,. There is truth to this saying because there is no loss in failure. Every failure is an opportunity to learn so that when you try again, you are better equipped to deal with whatever challenge life throws your way.
“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their full potential.” – John Maxwell
Reaching one’s full potential is closely linked with success. In order to reach your full potential, you must first acknowledge that you have such potential inside you. To deny so would cause you not to strive for it.
“College is the best time of your life. When else are your parents going to spend several thousand dollars a year just for you to go to a strange town and get drunk every night?” – David Wood
Learn to enjoy yourself once in a while. All work and no play can make even the most determined of minds go insane. Try to meet new people, explore your sexuality, and maybe even get drunk a few times. But don’t do it every night. Learn to find a balance between fun and work.
“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.” – Les Brown
Brown reminds us to never stop dreaming, and even if we fail, there is still something we can learn. Failing doesn’t actually mean ‘failing’ when you can get something out of it.
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.” – Gail Devers
You’ll never succeed until you can fight for what you want. Often, success is found not by the most talented or the most knowledgeable people but by the people who are most determined to find it.
“When one door closes, another one opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.” – Alexander Graham Bell
For some people, it feels like it’s the end of the world when they fail, or at least it does to them. Don’t be like one of those people. Each time you fail, remember that opportunities don’t just knock once or twice but in the plenty. As long as you focus your heart and mind, you will know when opportunities come knocking at your door.
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Karim Seddiki
When it comes to the fulfillment of your dreams, you are your own biggest enemy. During times when doubt seems to cloud your mind, remember that only you can hold yourself back. For this reason, you must always try to find motivation and inspiration. When your fuel runs out, remember to refuel. The greatest fuel to success is purpose. When you have a purpose in mind, there is nothing you can’t do.
“When you become too comfortable, you aren’t pushing yourself.”
When things don’t go your way, and when life seems too intent on keeping you down, that’s when you know you’re going the right way. Don’t be complacent and get out of your comfort zone. It is by pushing oneself that one can succeed.
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it.” – Malcolm X
Even when you feel tired, even when you feel hopeless or overwhelmed, remember that what you are doing today affects what you will be doing tomorrow. All your efforts will not be wasted if your goal in life is to succeed.
Remember this:
Failure is always present in one’s life. There will always be rejection. But you are meant to defy the odds, and you just have to believe in yourself. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. College is truly a difficult and trying time, but often, it is also when most people find themselves. So you have to ask yourself what you truly want in life, what you want to be and work yourself hard towards that goal. You can cry buckets of tears and even sweat bullets, but you should never give up or give in to the challenges before you.
Fight for your dreams because they were given to you for a reason.
