How do you motivate yourself to work?

[flammableBen]

In my first year at uni my programming module was completely coursework based. I did every bit of work hammered and managed to get a first in the module. Think it depends on the subject though. Other things I've managed hammered have been essays on quantum physics and general and special theories of relativitity.

[Simon Pieman]

I just think the units are harder tbh. Bollocks, I just realised I still have to do a 40% assignment for June 13th. I've done half of it, just need to do the write up (stats coursework)  :x

[flammableBen]

I'm just glad I'm done for coursework. Some reason I find exams much easier. Think it's just that I've been blagging exams since GCSE's which is about 5 years now, and thats not including mocks / sats before that. Got the exam technique down to a tee, but still really lazy when it comes to coursework

[Simon Pieman]

Exactly that's my problem as well I think. Although there's been so much courework to do it's buggered up my whole semester. Much prefer exams.

[Ben Wah Balls]

I did one of my courseworks at 4 in the morning straight through till 2pm after going to see dj zinc when I was hammered.

I normally have a couple of beers before my exams, helps me think.

[Simon Pieman]

I must say drinks before an exam - I couldn't risk it  

I've been more organized this semester than any other - I worked a full 12 hours straight just to get a bit of coursework done. Finished it at 5am and then chilled/slept all weekend. Hand it date was 3 weeks later  

Getting my mark for it on Monday though  :|

[Asher]

sod revising and sod uni/gcse's - i can always use a few people to run packages around for me........ :shock:

[flammableBen]

I've been absolutely hammered for one exam, it was A-level Physics after the Brazil game in 02. My mate had poured beer over my head in the morning so I turned up to the exam having drank 6/7 stellas and reeking of alcohol. Don't think I did too well, but got enough to get into uni so it was all good in the end.

[Ben Wah Balls]

I don't really drink before exams 'cos I'd have to keep going for a piss during the exam.

I've never started work on a coursework that long before it's in. Had a whole semester to do one essay and I still left it until a day before it had to be handed in. Got a fucking good mark for that though (27/30) but often it doesn't work.

Don't think I've ever finished a coursework before the day it was due in.

[Simon Pieman]

I'm usually the opposite - the last minute wonder but for some reason I was feeling really stressed with everything and vented my frustration by doing some work  :?  

It was a great idea and I think a tactic I will employ next year, because I stay up all night quite often anyway

[reeves4england]

I find it really hard to bother working.

I know that I could walk in to every single one of my exams and get a C or above, so find it hard to find something to aim for.

I decided I should aim to get all As, then can realise how little I did to achieve it later, thus motivating me to work hard for ruture exams!

[Rossi]

I know I've got to get this coursework done tonight, so I've put some music on, had 2 strong coffees, so I'm up for the night now until it's done

[Amir]

When I started secondary school all the teacher's thought I was bright, gradually by the end they all thought I was stupid, which made me want to show them(did anyone else have really vindictive teachers?).  A-Levels even more so.  I rememer going to get my GCSE results and only one person(Geordie) saying well done to me all day.  Everyone was either pissed off because they'd fucked up, or didn't even bother to get their results.

University I went to after a year working.  Made it even harder.  Shows how low degrees have dipped when I got a 2:1.  I did nothing.  If it had been something I was interested in I could have done it.  Only had one good teacher as well.  I had a Quantatative Methods teacher who couldn't add up  

[Simon Pieman]

I know that feeling AK. When I started college I had these real old teacher for geography. He was crap at teaching. He was so boring - the type of fella that checks into a hotel and looks where all the fire exits are, instead of the bar. Anyway after getting a lowly 41% on the first mock test (also because I couldn't be arsed) I decided to work harder. Sure enough, I put in the work and I began to actually learn stuff! Next exam I got above 60%, so dead chuffed, like.

This teacher was a real arse. He sat down with everyone in the class (individually) and predicted them their grades. The fucker said I would be lucky to pass! He then asked me what I got for my GCSEs. He couldn't believe to hear that my A* was in Geography. Anyway, got to the exam did well, got a B overall. End of the year he told me I should carry on with the full A-Level, I said get knotted and I fucked off.  

It's funny how something can be your favourite subject, only for a cockhead like him to screw it all up for you. To go from scraping an E to a B just shows what a motivational effect his comments had.

[walrus]

But Si, A-Level geography is a funny old subject.  Not sure if you did the same exam board/syllabus as me etc. but we have synpotic or "decision-making" papers which complicate matters, plus it is seemingly far removed from GCSE Geography, where I too got an A*.  A-Levels now (not sure how long ago you did yours) are seemingly based on luck and willingness to resit - I'm doing modular, which seems to encourage complacency rather than hard work.