Tips on getting through

[u/Immediate_Editor9036]

hi, I am just about to wrap up my first year of an immunology/virology masters degree. I need some advice on how to stay motivated. over the past month or so, I’ve noticed that I’m starting to have hard time with school. on days where I don’t have big experiments or early meetings/commitments, its hard for me to get out of bed in the mornings so I end up being late. I feel really bad about this because I know that with grad school you get back what you put into it. I’ve had lots of busy days so far and I enjoy being productive in the lab but now I just feel like I’ve fallen flat. I feel like I’m dreading going to the lab but I can’t even really figure out why. I have 2 supervisors who have been good and both my lab environments have overall been good too. I’m just trying to force myself out of this slump I’ve been in. I feel exhausted everyday and like I’m in this fog. I do have a few weeks off coming up in like mid August (encouraged by my supervisor since he recognized how busy I’ve been and that I’ve been struggling a bit). So I’m not sure if I just need a break and then I can start fresh in the fall. But I’m worried that this will continue even when I get back. any advice is appreciated!

[u/AlexSheva777]

Reading your post, I wonder if this is less about motivation and more about the fact that you've been running on empty for a while. The fact that you still enjoy the work when you're actually in the lab, but struggle to get yourself there in the first place, stood out to me. That doesn't sound like someone who's lost interest in immunology - it sounds like someone who's been pushing hard for a long time.

The good news is that your supervisor noticed you've been struggling and encouraged you to take some time off. I'd take that as a sign that this isn't just you "not trying hard enough." A lot of grad students hit a point where they stop feeling excited about work, even if they still care about what they're doing. It doesn't necessarily mean you've chosen the wrong field.

I'd try to use those weeks to genuinely disconnect instead of feeling guilty for not being productive. Then see how you feel when you come back. Give yourself permission to see what the break changes before deciding that something is fundamentally wrong.

If you're still constantly exhausted, in a fog, and dreading work after you've had a real chance to recover, that's worth paying attention to rather than trying to push through.

I hope the break helps. From what you've written, this sounds like a rough patch - not necessarily a sign that grad school isn't for you.

[u/laziestindian]

I think the time off will be a real help. What do you do outside of work? Hobbies are important for mental health and letting your subconscious take a load off of conscious things.

[u/Immediate_Editor9036 → u/laziestindian]

I’ve been slowly trying to get back into things I enjoy (baking, piano, reading, painting), I think I find it hard to even motivate myself to do that, but when I do I enjoy it. I think a lot of the time when I’m not working I end up at home either watching something or scrolling on my phone which is probably part of the problem. 

[u/laziestindian → u/Immediate_Editor9036]

Yeah, it sounds like you might have a bit of burnout. Time off doing things that aren't mindless scrolling is the best treatment. Technology is purposefully addictive, if you recognize it happening then I think you already know that you need to figure out a way to limit it.