University Studying: how to stay motivated?

A lot of students are in your boat..moving out of the home and figuring out how to micromanage their lives without their parents nagging and directing them. You're correct in that it rarely works out when you study for a midterm the night before. I suggest that you create a schedule and follow it to the dot. Don't study all day as this will burn you out. Balance out the fun and the school work and make sure you study the day of or the day after the lecture. Don't expect good results if you're not willing to put in the hard work. However, don't just work/study hard, you need to work/study smart as well. You'd be surprised how many students experience what you are experiencing. You may think that doing "okay" in college won't hurt you too much, but take it from a college graduate who's heard it all...study and try as hard as you can. It may be four long years of education, but if you perform at the highest level, then you will be rewarded for the rest of your life. Screw up these four years, and you may be suffering after. Good luck!