Dear Sofia,
How can I overcome senioritis and burnout?
Sincerely,
Sluggish Senior
Dear Sluggish Senior,
Being a senior, I understand what you’re going through. It’s been a long four years and at this point in the year with college acceptances already received, it seems pointless to complete assignments to a high standard, or even at all. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s important to take note of whether or not your school requires final reports. If it does, then you have to keep your grades up! Secondly, final exams are arriving quickly and it is crucial to keep your mind refreshed with the information you need to know to succeed. Continuing to study and complete assignments will also make the transition into a college workload much easier. To combat senioritis, here are some tips:
- Focus on the positives
Schoolwork can be monotonous and unenjoyable, making the urge to simply not attend school even more appealing. To provide extra motivation, focus on the exciting parts of high school that are exclusively for seniors. Remind yourself that attendance at prom, the senior trip, graduation, and award ceremonies is a result of your effort and attendance!
- Caffeine
A simple solution is caffeine. Keeping your energy levels high so attending school isn’t such an exhausting feat can help prevent senioritis and burnout. Coffee, tea, or fruits like bananas and oranges provide energy quickly and are great to have during a study session or at any point in the day when you’re feeling tired.
- Come for friends, not the schoolwork
If friends are what it takes to get you to come to school, that’s fine! Remember that these are the final couple months that you’ll be in high school with the people you’ve known for most of your life. In my opinion, it’s worth coming to school to relish the final bits of your high school experience and see your friends every day before you all go your separate ways.
- Reward yourself
Staying motivated and productive as a senior in the last few months of high school is without a doubt a difficult task, so I think rewarding your attendance and hard work is beneficial! Treat yourself to a reward at the end of each school week to celebrate your hard work. It can be something small like going out to lunch with a group of friends, or something bigger like taking a road trip to your favorite state park. Essentially, the reward should be anything that brings you excitement and motivates you to keep working hard.
Even as the school year begins to wrap up, attendance and work completion are important so finding what keeps you energized and motivated is crucial. Good luck, and hold yourself accountable!
Sincerely,
Sofia
