In this Work-in-Progress paper we examine students' situational motivation in introductory STEM courses through analysis of survey responses about students' experiences in a required course at each of two large public institutions. The students in each course convey different perceptions of course relevance: learning-performance relevance and temporal relevance. Learning-performance relevance, exclusive to Course A, refers to students' perceptions of course content and activities as relevant to their performance, which in turn serve as necessary prerequisites for achieving future academic and professional goals. Temporal relevance, described primarily by students in Course B, pertains to students' non-performance-based perceptions of course content as applicable to their long-term academic and professional careers, as well as their personal intellectual growth. We posit that understanding the ways in which students perceive the relevance of course assessments, content, and activities to their near- and long-term future aspirations may allow for improved instructor support of intrinsic motivational attitudes in STEM classrooms.