Last year, 565 freshmen were academically dismissed at K-State, said Mike Lynch, associate vice president for student life. How can this be?

Well, look at it from a personal level. How often did you make it to class? On time?

In college, I find we are lacking motivation in our coursework and school in general. Maybe you should ask yourself, "How many classes did I miss this week, because I felt like sleeping in?" Why aren't we more motivated to accomplish the task at hand?

I have a few answers to these questions. Many students do not make it to class because they would rather sleep in after a late night of partying and take college as a joke. While other students become lazy in college without the motivation or the push from parents to do well in school like we had in high school. But there are also those who are simply unprepared for class.

Personally speaking, I have friends who are unmotivated to make it to class because they spend their nights partying in Aggieville. They don't do their homework, rarely go to class and are clueless about the material when they finally do go to class for exams.

Why are some students so unmotivated? Well, with all the modern-day distractions like Facebook.com and video games, as well as the classic pastime of partying, students would rather let themselves procrastonate than spend a few hours sitting in front of a book and reading a few chapters of chemistry.

Having friends who are just as unmotivated distracts us from our tasks at hand. Many freshmen and sophomores are unmotivated because of their curriculum. They come into college with no set major and are stuck taking general education courses that they find uninteresting. It isn't until junior year that many of us get into our major's core classes, the classes that actually interest us.

College is not a joke (compared to high school). In high school, all we had to do was go to class to grasp the material, and attendance was mandatory. In college, you have to work harder than you ever did before and can become overwhelmed, and therefore, unmotivated to do well in your courses.

Thinking about dropping out? Don't.

There are many rewards for finishing college. A college degree is the obvio. It's proven that a college graduate makes $1 million more in their lifetime than someone holding only a high school diploma or a GED. You will also be better prepared for life after receiving a college degree. On the other hand, imagine the look on your parents' faces after you've thrown away so much money and time they've invested in your education and dropped out.

College administrators share some of the burden in holding onto students. Advisers should incorporate some type of freshman and sophomore mentoring program in all departments of all colleges. Science programs should open up their labs to more undergrad research. Other colleges should incorporate creative ways to motivate students to do well in their coursework. Reminding scholarship students how they're paying for college is also another nagging conscience provider.

Really though, the choice to do well is yours alone. So go to class, do the homework, and prepare well for exams.

Need a little help? Most of the departments offer some type of tutoring services for struggling students. Live in the dorms? The Derby and Kramer complexes have academic resource centers offering tutoring for different subjects and computer labs for students who need them. All you need is your K-State ID.

Get to know your professors. All professors have office hours where they are open to questions and concerns. Professors are willing to work with you and will actually study with you so you can grasp the material taught in class better. Hale Library has a 24-hour study room.

We have many resources on campus that are here to help us succeed. Why don't we use them.

-Delores Pearsall is a junior in biology. Please send comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu.