If you’re like me, it’s hard to stay motivated this time of year. It gets dark early, there are Harry Potter marathons, there’s nine weeks until Christmas and it’s starting to get chilly.

I have been slacking in my running and in my schoolwork. I’m writing this with hopes of motivating myself and others. Here are a few things we can do to get through the next seven weeks of the semester.

Are you unmotivated because you are trying to work in a distracting environment?

Is there a TV in the background or perhaps your friends are talking or are actually enjoying themselves while you’re suffering through 50 more pages of a textbook that you don’t care too much about.

Find a place that won’t be distracting while you study or do homework. Find a corner of the library, find a study buddy and get to work.

While it’s been so nice, take advantage of the weather and find a quiet place to study outside. Not only will you be soaking up some much needed vitamin D, but you’ll be able to study in a serene, peaceful setting. You might find yourself more inspired.

As the semester is nearing the end, many of you (myself included) will have big projects or papers due soon that will pretty much define how you are going to spend this half of the semester. If you are feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated, try setting smaller goals. Don’t attempt to write your ten page paper in a few days, cut the work into chunks to make it more manageable and less intimidating. Try not to focus on the large, scary number.

Take a break. After the long hours of studying or writing, you need to reward yourself. Take a walk, watch an episode of a favorite TV show or grab a snack, like fruit or a granola bar. Try to stay away from junk food to avoid feeling groggy. The break will help to relieve stress that has possibly been building up, boost creativity and will do more good than trying to force the work out.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, try exercising to de-stress.

For me running during the winter months is the hardest, but I find if I set a goal I will stay motivated. The goal doesn’t have to be anything big, maybe you can see how many pushups you can do by the end of the week or take a few walks.

Challenge yourself to do something you would never see yourself doing.

Try to schedule a regular time during the day to work out to help stay motivated.

Schedule a time that you can actually perceive doing it then, and be committed to it.

If you are bogged down by your usual workout, shake it up and try something new. Take advantage of the fun classes the Rec offers, and try it out. As humans, we need change. Find something you enjoy and look forward to.

Finally, reach out to someone who will motivate you. We all have those friends who question our healthier choices, so find the ones that will encourage you. Do something together so you have someone to be accountable to. This can be applied to homework, too. Find someone to study with who will be as committed as you are. It seriously helps.

It’s not always easy to stay motivated right now, but we can do it together. But also take advantage of the time you have in college; so go ahead and enjoy the Harry Potter marathons.