Combating Senioritis

Do you dread school? Are you reading this article as a means to escape from a growing pile of homework assignments? Have you lost all motivation to get any work done? Is it becoming increasingly hard to focus during class? Are you a senior in high school? If you answered yes to any of these questions, chances are you may have senioritis. The Urban Dictionary defines senioritis as “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” those with senioritis find it extremely difficult to stay focused during their last year of high school. If you're feeling just like this, read on - this article will teach you how to deal with senioritis and how to stay on track for the long awaited day: graduation. They say senior year is supposed to be relaxing, but how can students relax when they have to apply for colleges, keep their grades up, search for scholarships and balance extracurriculars? Senior year isn't easier than any of the last four years of high school; in fact, it's the most difficult because of the reasons listed. Also, many students lose motivation and fall victim to senioritis, adding more difficulty to the school year. So what's a senior to in these times? First of all, don't give up. Think of all you've done just to be here! You've sat through four years of monotone lectures, all nighters, and an occasional six pack of Mountain Dew to get you through those monotone lectures after pulling those all nighters. To give up now, when it's so close to the end, would be silly. The hardships that come your way are mere roadblocks. Don't make those roadblocks turn into dead ends. If you have a lack of motivation to get work done, find some! A painter can't paint if he doesn't have the materials. So how can you work if you don't have motivation? It may sound kind of silly - who would want to find motivation to do math homework? But having the skill of finding motivation can be extremely helpful in the long run. Motivation can be found in all places, if you know where to look. There are plenty of TED Talks that are greatly inspiring. Any kind of motivational speech would do wonders for your own motivation. You could even talk to college students who have gone through what you're going through and gain some motivation from them, as they beg you not to make the same mistakes they did. If all else fails, many students typically get a burst of motivation the night (or class) before the due date. That's what procrastination does to you! This next piece of advice may seem a bit odd, but trust me, it works! Change things up. You're most likely feeling like this because you're tired of the routine you've been doing. Think about it - for the last four years, you've woken up at the crack of dawn, dragged yourselves to a building where you were forced to sit in desks for eight hours before going home and doing work for the rest of the night! No wonder why you're tired of this; you've been doing it all your life! So, my advice to you would be to change things up. I understand you can't change things up by not going to school, so I would suggest changing things up in a different way. Perhaps you could suddenly start listening to Skrillex every morning to get you pumped. Or you could wear neon colored socks every Thursday to make yourself stand out. You could start with math homework first and get that done immediately. You could do your homework in the backyard rather than in your room. The point is that by changing things up, even in the most simple of ways, makes your daily routine a bit more interesting. With time, being a senior in high school won't be that bad - especially if you're known as “that one person who wears neon green socks every Thursday.” Lastly, plan ahead. Think about why you're doing what you're doing and what implications that can have on your future. You don't want to do your homework because it seems useless? That may seem like a legitimate excuse, but what consequences would it have? By not doing that homework assignment, you're jeopardizing your grade, which could harm your GPA and your acceptance into the college of your dreams! The instant gratification of not doing the assignment isn't worth the pain that comes afterwards. Just bunker down and get it done. You'll thank yourself afterwards. By planning ahead and thinking of where you want to be in the future, you'll realize the importance and value of what you have today and that'll make you more motivated to get things done. By following these tips, you’ll be able to beat senioritis and make the best of your last year in high school. Ultimately, staying focused this year is up to you. There will be days when all your work will seem pointless, but just remember that it all adds up to your final goal - which is graduation and then college. You can do this!