As the end of the semester approaches, I find my motivation waning. It is getting harder and harder to stay focused, to do my homework, to want to do well. At one point I calculated what would happen to my grades if I just quit doing schoolwork. (In case you’re wondering, it wouldn’t have been good.)

As a double whammy, this is also my graduating semester. As finals approach, so does my graduation date. On top of juggling schoolwork, I am also applying to jobs. It is so easy to go in to quickly apply to one job quickly and then suddenly become lost in the endless job ads of Indeed.

So, finding ways to stay motivated is just as hard as actually finishing your work, but it is also just as important. In my case, I’ve decided to focus on my cat. I have had my cat Shadow for about 14 years. He is a total sweetheart and super needy; he constantly wants attention, so he will follow you around meowing at you until you finally pay attention to him. Sadly, Shadow currently lives with my parents because campus housing doesn’t allow you to have pets. My parents have been very good foster kitty parents, but I am very excited that soon Shadow will live with me again.

When I begin to feel unmotivated or am tempted to give up (yes, I know, being tempted to give up this close to graduation seems crazy, but trust me it’s damn tempting), I remind myself that if I don’t do well or finish, then I have to wait even longer to be able to live with my cat again. Also, working hard and getting a good job will allow me to be able to provide a better life for my cat where he will be well taken care of in the last years of his life.

This whole thing might seem a little silly—Shadow is my cat, of course he is going to live with me after I graduate—but this is a thought that keeps me going as I push through the end of the semester because I haven’t been able to stay home for more than a week at a time for the past three years. Balancing work, obligations, final projects, and final exams is tough, even when you can see the finish line. Whatever keeps you going is what you should keep in mind as you move forward.

As you begin to find yourself wanting to just close your laptop and sleep for a few hours in the middle of the day or you find yourself deciding to watch Netflix instead of working on that paper, think about something to keep you going. Maybe you’re going on a trip during summer. Maybe you get to go back home and sped time with you family. Maybe you and your friends are planning to go to Disney after the end of the semester. Or maybe you were offered an awesome job after graduation and you get to start after the semester is over.

Graduation is so close. Take a deep breath, think about that thing to keep you going, and then get cracking. You got this!