Do you hop out of bed each morning thinking, “I can’t WAIT to start my vocabulary study program today!” If you’re not enthusiastic about learning new vocabulary, then you might not be putting the energy into your study routine that will get you all of the results that you want and deserve. We’ve got some great ideas for you to keep in mind so that you’ll go into your study time upbeat and ebullient, not depressed and listless.

Try new things. One of the quickest ways to lose interest in a project is to do the same thing every day, over and over. If you’ve gotten in a rut, try out some new approaches to vocabulary study. If you’re not in the habit of doing the daily crossword puzzle (in your local newspaper or on line) then you’re missing the opportunity to have new words handed to you, ones that you probably wouldn’t think of looking up on your own. For example, you might see this clue: “Bubbling over with enthusiasm (9 letters).” If you came up with the word ebullient, good for you! Crossword puzzles can stretch your brain by requiring you to think of words you already know, as well as by teaching you words you didn’t know.

Look below the surface. Simply memorizing a long list of words and definitions won’t give you the best vocabulary. Learning words on a superficial level will make them harder to remember later, and definitely harder to use effectively. One way to focus on words and make them easier to recall is by learning more about each word. If you look up the etymology of the word ebullient you’ll see that it shares a root with the word boil – both come from the Latin word for “to bubble” (bullire). Once you know that, it’s easy to remember the definition of the word, and you can also create a vivid mental image that will further tie the word and meaning together in your memory.

Share the work, and the fun. If you find that you’re not motivated to study on your own, see if one or more of your friends is also interested in improving their vocabulary. You’ll probably find it easier to study if you have a partner who can quiz you, challenge you, and above all help you stick to your study plan. In addition, you can look for word-loving friends who like to play games such as Scrabble or Boggle, or the old party game Fictionary (also called simply Dictionary), and get together for a word game night once or twice a month. There’s nothing like fun with friends to build your enthusiasm.

Build on what you know. Vocabulary improvement can be a daunting task. There are so many words out there, and so little time (or so it seems) to learn them. One way to speed up the process is to group words together. Instead of just learning the word ebullient, take a minute to look up its synonyms, and you’ll be able to learn the words exuberant, enthusiastic, and effervescent (which can mean approximately the same thing), and the words apathetic and unenthusiastic (which mean the opposite).

Cheer up! Vocabulary study is only as difficult as you want it to be.