Guys, we have two more weeks as freshmen – and not even that, if you don’t count finals week. Can you believe it? Middle school seems so long ago, and yet it feels like we just started high school (which, in a way, we did, but you know what I mean). At this time of the school year, it seems super easy to slack off, procrastinate, and not work as hard as you would if it were January. I get it. We’re tired mentally and physically, the days are getting longer, classes just aren’t as interesting anymore, and summer couldn’t seem closer. But it is so important to finish strong and really earn that summer break.
When my cousin got married in August (see my first blog post – that’s a lot of scrolling you’ll have to do though!), we were talking about hopes, fears, and overall feelings of going into high school. I remember he told me that the one thing he regretted was not working as hard as he could have freshman year. “It really came back to bite me when I applied for college,” he told me. If it’s too late for you to take that advice, umm… sorry? But the point of me telling that story is that it’s the same way with finishing strong. Don’t just settle for the easy grade that isn’t bad necessarily, but reflects the fact that you could’ve done better with a little more effort.
Sometimes it’s hard to self-motivate to get this kind of stuff done, so here’s some tips that really help me to finish strong. Let me know if you do any of these or have any more ideas in the comments! I’m always curious to see what other people do to stay motivated.
- Do your homework. At this point in the semester, it’s easy to see homework as a burden that won’t even affect your grade much in the end. However, homework is much more about relearning and applying the content you’ll need on finals than it is about the grade. Think of homework as (required) extra studying for finals.
- Stay ahead of the game. It’s so much easier to study for finals and know what you need to work on if you “study” the material well as it’s introduced to you. I find that taking “pretty” notes with fun colors or even just taking five minutes to go over each lesson at the end of the day helps prevent the need for cramming when finals week creeps up on you.
- Move around. Taking a walk outside, running, working out, or even, say, playing volleyball 😉 gets blood flowing more quickly to the brain, makes you feel healthier and happier, and actually increases productivity. There’s a reason we do brain breaks, you guys!
- Take care of yourself. You are a human, not a robot on a study-till-you-drop schedule (although it may feel like it sometimes). It will make a world of a difference to your mood and your test-taking ability to get enough sleep, eat well, drink plenty of water, spend time with friends and family, and take care of your personal hygiene.
- Prioritize. Similarly to #4, it is so important to prioritize your needs. If you are struggling in a certain subject, spend more time studying that subject than one that you understand better. Another aspect of prioritizing is not over-stressing every little thing about finals. If you have a strong A in a class, maybe let the reins go a little looser on that subject and make more time for that final that you really need to ace.
- If you’re able, spend time around animals (specifically dogs). I have two labradors and I always find myself happier if I spend a few minutes scratching them behind the ears or just snuggling them at the end of the day. Dogs don’t judge and they always think that you’re the best thing since sliced bread. (I wrote this one after one of my dogs walked by my chair and let me rub them for a minute. It made me really happy, so there’s proof that this one works!)
- Use your planner. Writing down homework, scheduling study times, and counting down the days until summer are all useful things you can do with a planner that will really motivate you (especially that last one!) and it’s proven that you remember things better if you write them down.
- Buy new pencils. Random, I know, but you’re probably stuck with three pencils that have no eraser and barely any led… oh wait, there’s a fourth one, it’s just at the bottom of your locker… and is that gum on it? Oh boy. I was in this kind of situation last week and it made me so ridiculously happy to get a cheap pack of new pencils. For whatever reason, that has really motivated me. Is that just me?
- Do what you love. Through all of the studying and chaos, still make time for drawing, writing (for fun), singing, baking, acting, playing an instrument, or, say, volleyball. That will make this crazy week feel a little more normal.
- DON’T PROCRASTINATE. If you’re wondering why this blog post is so long, it’s because I still have math homework to finish and Romeo and Juliet to read. Unfortunately, there’s also a great collection of cookie recipes posted on Ceili and Paige’s blogs this week. Basically, don’t be me.
- Remember that it’s summer in less than two weeks! Similarly, rewarding yourself is also a really good technique for motivation.
- Thank your teachers. It doesn’t have to be Teacher Appreciation Week for you to show gratitude for all that your teachers do. Finding time to write heartfelt notes to your teachers makes both of you feel awesome inside (also this is great when you need extra credit!*).
- Dress well, (not just) test well. It sounds stupid, but it works. If the only thing you’ve got going for you that day is that you feel confident in how you look, then so be it.
- Go to Peer Tutoring. I cannot stress this enough – if you’re confused about something, you need not be embarrassed to ask for help, whether it be from peer tutors or a teacher. It shows character to admit that you have struggles – and we all do. We don’t judge at peer tutoring 😉
*JUST KIDDING. Don’t expect extra credit for doing what you should do anyway.
I hope this helped! Happy last-two-weeks everybody!
Rachel's Reflections 