Motivation is essentially the drive to achieve goals. A common problem for new college students is a lack of goals, which, subsequently, limits the potential for motivation or drive. In some cases, students go to college because of parental influence or a feeling that society expects it, rather than for self-serving purposes. Without a plan to earn a degree in the long run, and to learn and get good grades in the short-term, students often lack the motivation to try.
Students sometimes enter college unprepared emotionally, psychologically and mentally, according to a 2008 article by the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Students may have come from a high school setting and home environment where they were babied, for instance. Parents or teachers may have stepped in to bail students out in the past, allowing them to make mistakes and forgo consequences. Additionally, many students simply don't understand the escalation in rigor from high school to college, and so come unprepared to deal with work requirements and challenges.
College students often struggle with motivation because of competing roles -- that of student and social being. For students that emphasize social relationships, parties and popularity during the college experience, it may be difficult to focus on motivation for academic success. On the other hand, some students are so academically focused, they have little to no social motivation. Generally, balancing academic success with positive, healthy peer relationships is ideal.
It is not unusual for college students to get bogged down by personal problems and health challenges that negatively affect motivation. Family and relationship troubles can easily distract a well-intended student from educational goals. Additionally, a 2012 survey by the American College Health Association indicated that nearly 21 percent of students responding had been diagnosed or treated for at least one mental health condition, such as social anxiety or depression, within the previous year. These conditions inherently block healthy motivation to achieve positive outcomes. Therapy and medicine are often used as treatments, though students still commonly face difficulty with the stress of balancing school and life.