When it’s time to study, the distractions may seem too numerous to overcome. Or maybe you just don’t care about the subject or the class, although you need to make a good grade to keep up your scholarship or to graduate.

If you’re realizing that studying in college requires much more time and focus than your study patterns in high school, or if you facing for the first time a lack of motivation, whip out these 16 surefire tips to crack open the books.

1. Change your location.
Get off your bed, pack up your books and laptop, and leave your room. Head to a distraction-free spot on campus, like the library or study rooms. Or find a shady spot outdoors and let nature inspire you.

2.Get jealous about the class brain.
Think about the smartest student in your class. Then imagine making a better grade on a test or essay than that uppity brainiac. It’s possible, with hard work.

3. Look to the future.
Realize that college is about more than one grade on one test but the culmination of learning that can help you in your future career or life experiences. Something you think is useless now could eventually be crucial to your career success down the road.

4. Grab a study partner.
If you have other friends who are facing a test and need some motivation, too, join together for some major test prep. You will be counting on each other and can keep each other from quitting early.

5. Find new friends.
Think about whether your friends and their comments are making you choose between partying and studying. If so, you may need to look for new friends who can encourage you to do well in school.

6. Get a snack.
Buy or make yourself something to eat (one of my college memories are the Mickey Mouse-shaped pancakes a friend made for me once during an all-night study session). But only allow yourself to snack once, with nothing else until you’re done, according to tips from the West Virginia University at Parkersburg. You will satisfy the urge to eat and then be ready to study without wasting time with multiple trips to the refrigerator, the WVU experts say.

7. Turn off your Facebook account.
If you can’t resist checking your friends’ status updates during an hour of studying, it may not be enough to just turn off the computer. So consider deactivating your account – it can be activated again after the big test is over.

8. Create a study playlist.
Upbeat songs like U2’s “Beautiful Day,” the Black Eyed Peas’ “I’ve Got a Feeling,” and definitely the “Rocky” theme song may help rev you up for a study session when all else fails.

9. Study in chunks.
Avoid getting depressed when looking ahead to hours and hours of studying. If you plan ahead, you can take 20-50 minute time periods followed by a 5- to 10-minute break, which is the most effective way to study anyway, according to study tips provided to Dartmouth students.

10. Show some interest in the subject.
If you’re lacking desire to even learn about the subject matter, push yourself to find some way to be interested in it and you’re likely to perform better in the class. Maybe do some Googling to see how the subject matter relates to a recent movie you’ve seen, or find someone you admire who enjoys the subject to share their passion for the topic with you.

11. Don’t be a vampire.
Don’t wait until the evening to study but take advantage of the daylight hours, when you’ll be able to maximize your concentration levels compared to when you’re sleepy after midnight, according to Dartmouth’s experts.

12. Get to know your professor.
Discussing the coursework with your professor may give you a little more of a connection to the class when it’s a drag to study.

13. Prioritize your classes.
Maybe you’re overwhelmed by the multitude of classes and assignments, so take them one by one. Rank your classes by importance for the week and spend time on the ones that are most challenging first, according to Dartmouth’s tips.

14. Realize that only you can do it.
Study tips from William Woods University in Missouri emphasize that students have to take total responsibility for getting their work done. The experts say: “In college, your success in a course and in managing your time is up to you. You are in charge of your life and your future.”

15. Look to a higher power.
Pause to pray, because if you believe in God, this is a prayer he could answer. The oft-cited phrase “Prayer Changes Things” could also apply to school, too.

16. Don’t get down on yourself.
Recognize that this may be a difficult topic for you to grasp but don’t let that spiral into dwelling on your failures, according to study tips from the University of Alabama
 Center for Teaching and Learning. The experts there say: “Be kind to yourself and be proud of your strong points.”

It is possible to break through a lack of motivation and study to get the results that you desire in college!