Question for people at Uni mainly - others welcome :)

[Steedie]

Hey guys

lately i've found myself really unmotivated towards my course, im halfway through it now and i just cant seem to get myself into it no matter how hard i try

Basically im doing Bsc Games Programming and Development, this shouldnt be a problem to be motivated as i love games, play them way to much infact and i always think about making my own games

but when it comes down to it i just cant sit down and get on with work, im just to easily distracted. I would say turn the computer off, but thats a bit of a no no when i need it to program. But if i was motivated i wouldnt want to anyway, i'd wanna get on with it, I just need some motivation, a kick up the butt to say "get on with it", something to make me say "hell yeah thats what i wanna do, im gonna make sure i do it"

So what do you guys at uni or in a job/training scheme do to motivate yourself? Pictures of big money purchases such as cars massive houses? Any ideas more than welcome

I really need to find some sort of Podcast thats specifcally for games programmers or people in the industry, or a tv programme/online programme about the same thing, im really motivated by this sort of stuff but guess what? nothing around like that, so looks like i need something else

many thanks

S

 

[Nix]

How about getting a job that pays well so you don't have to struggle every day?

 

[Steedie]

well, thats one suggestion certainly

but the job i want to do needs certain qualifications or at least some programming/computer science degree

I want to be happy in a job im in, which i understand completely is more often than not a situation most people arent in.

I know this is what i want to do, but for some reason i just cant get that jump start to get on with it

 

[Nix]

There's two types of motivation - internal and external.
The internal motivation is what gets you to where you want as the external is only a quick fix.

I don't have much motivation but I force myself to do it because I know i'd never forgive myself if I didn't get through it. You'll find little external motivation once you're at university because as far as people are concerned - it's your choice.

 

[jegz]

Ive lost interest in my course now as it wasnt what i expected "ce la vie".

Im repeating my second year now gonna see how it goes if i fail again im gonna get a job etc.

As for motivation I find that meeting up with other people on your course and doing work motivates me as it doesnt seem so daunting.

 

[Haly]

I force myself because I figure after the amount of debt it's cost me, I'd rather not fail and have all that debt for nothing.
This term's been a bit harder than past terms because a) I'm sick to death of it and can't wait to finish/graduate and b) I'm working part time too so I've got a lot less free time than I used to.
But basically, it just comes down to forcing myself because I don't really have any other choice unless I want to let myself down.

 

[Hugogo]

Im in a similar sort of thing...im not motivated by my lectures at all so my attendance is appaling. However i get all the work in on time etc and to an ok standard...just cant get to the lectures . However ive promised myself to pull my thumb out from this week.

 

[S@njay]

dont work at home!

work at uni, on your own or with a good bunch of mates.

home is far far to distracting, no matter how much anyones says its not. (unless your stonking rich and have a separate big study!)

I'm final year comp science student, and have just spect 15hours straight on the pc, programming in c++.

Once you get into your work, you will work loads!

 

[Steedie]

I'm final year comp science student, and have just spect 15hours straight on the pc, programming in c++.

I'd love to be able to do that

but i find programming so hard to just sit down and teach yourself, in my house its me and 4 3d modellers/animators. And i envy them so much because they can just sit down put a model or landscape together and have something to show for it.

I find it really hard to come up with ideas to just sit down and make a program i want, thats within what i can do with my current programming experience

 

[yer_averagejoe]

ahh I'm exactly the same... I'm doign computer games technology at abertay and I cant motivate myself.. Maybe because I'm a first year student and I've not settled down yet.

As for the programming, My brother is in his 4th year of a course kinda like mine (though he has to use java and not C ) and he says that the best way to learn to program is do little projects of your own, the uni ones you never feel like doing for some reason.

 

[S@njay]

its true you cant program somthing you hate!

I never really used to do much wok, only reason was becuase i never understood it.

I been to as many lectures and seminars this year, and the course is so much more fun.

Its nice when you understand it, when you dont, you just want to cry or sleep!

 

[Lagz]

dont work at home!
I'm final year comp science student, and have just spect 15hours straight on the pc, programming in c++.

Taking proper breaks? If not your seriously risking RSI / other strain injuries.

 

[sphen]

dont work at home!
I'm final year comp science student, and have just spect 15hours straight on the pc, programming in c++.

Taking proper breaks? If not your seriously risking RSI / other strain injuries.

15hrs? Let me know when you get past 36hrs (oh I enjoyed that assignment so much) and then I'll give you respect. As for breaks, bah! RSI just makes him more of a man.

 

[S@njay]

Taking proper breaks? If not your seriously risking RSI / other strain injuries.

i know, gotta meet deadlines, and its my fault, left it last minute

i am feeling the pain now, think i'll get off the pc now

tomorrow got to write a 25page essay for wednesday.

they joys of leaving things last minute

But i totally agree with you you have to take breaks as the affects can be horrid

 

[Lagz]

15hrs? Let me know when you get past 36hrs (oh I enjoyed that assignment so much) and then I'll give you respect. As for breaks, bah! RSI just makes him more of a man.

Thats exactly the kind of attitude that the 'nerds' who sit at the front of my lectures (who probably sat infront of computers for 10 hours a day when they were younger) have, who now all have quite serious RSI.

 

[daz]

I'm writing lab reports on Fraunhofer Diffraction and the Michelson Interferometer at the moment... the most boring part of my course by far yet it's a required module to progress to the 3rd year.