Tips to Ward Off Senioritis
Spring semester is here! If this is your senior year, you might be experiencing what we call “senioritis.” Simply put, this is the urge you feel to relax, slack, have fun, etc. as your high school career comes to a close. There is nothing wrong with wanting to enjoy the last few months of high school, but remember, college is just around the corner. College will bring around a new series of challenges, and you need to be prepared. Part of that preparation is a strong finish to high school. Even if you’ve already been accepted into your first-choice college, that school will see your grades from senior spring, and you want those grades to be equally as impressive, if not more so, than the grades you have already earned. Here are a few tips to help keep senioritis at bay:
Set goals. Be realistic with your goals, but make sure that they challenge you. If you’re having trouble staying motivated, look for new interests or new angles to projects you’re already working on. These goals will keep you pushing yourself to achieve new heights.
Set a schedule. This may sound simple, but a schedule helps you organize your time wisely. Create a calendar or to-do list where you can write down what needs to be done and by what time. This allows you to visually see the tasks at hand which will make them feel concrete. And this ensures that you won’t forget to accomplish any of your work.
Practice wellness. You need to take care of yourself in order to be up for the challenges you face. Make sure you’re getting enough sleep at night, eating well balanced meals, and drinking plenty of water. These seemingly small habits are actually quite important to maintaining your overall health which contributes greatly to your ability to be productive.
Treat yourself. When you finish a particularly difficult or time consuming task, give yourself rewards. Take time to surf social media, or watch a streaming service. Or maybe give yourself an extra helping of dessert. Whatever the reward is, make sure you treat yourself from time to time for some positive reinforcement.
Take a break when needed. If you’re pushing yourself to face new challenges, then you’re gonna need a break once in a while. This is especially true if you’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed with the task at hand. These feelings are antithetical to learning because they make it difficult for you to retain or process information. This will lead to inevitable burnout, which is what you’re trying to avoid. Make sure you give yourself adequate time to rest and have a little fun before getting back to work!
Hopefully these ideas will keep the dreaded senioritis away. Just remember to keep focused on your future to help keep you motivated. You got this!
