Connecting to DM

Dance Marathon is undoubtedly one of my favorite clubs that I am a part of UNI. I love seeing fellow college students taking time out of their busy schedules to help fight for kids battling childhood illnesses. However, I know that at some point we all can experience a little bit of “DM Burnout”. And that’s perfectly normal! Dance Marathon is such an emotion-driven organization; that’s why it’s important to take care of yourself and find ways to stay motivated!

This is my third year in UNI DM, so I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks along my three years! The number one way I stay connected with our cause is music! Music is a great way to motivate yourself if you need to do homework, workout, or even fundraise! Anytime I’m working on Dance Marathon projects, I always listen to a Spotify playlist I made. It has songs on there from past big events, general motivational songs/speeches, and songs from the big reveal!

Check out this playlist!

Another way I stay motivated is by going to our website, Facebook, or Instagram and read/watch our kiddo

stories! If you go to events and get the chance to talk to our families, do it. When you hear our kiddos stories, and then see them in person, it really puts everything into perspective. These kids are so resilient and strong. I find my own strength and motivation in them. Since they don’t stop fighting, neither do I.

The last thing I do to stay motivated is by practicing regular self-care. Whether you’re a dancer, a morale captain, or on exec, self-care is SO important to staying motivated! Plan out in advance how many days a week or month you want to reach out to people to ask for donations and support UNI DM. If you regularly space out and plan your fundraising, it makes it a lot less stressful!

Remember to remind yourself of WHY you’re in DM. WHY you’re reaching out to people. WHY everything that you’re doing for the kids matters.

YOU matter. YOU are the reason a family has hope. YOU are an amazing person. Never forget that :)