When I found out that I would be writing an article about how to fight senioritis, it was hard to will myself to even start writing it. I would be a complete liar if I said that I knew how to fight with senioritis because it is extremely hard. I have never been someone to leave school early just because I felt like it, or to put off doing my homework until right before the period it is due. But somehow, now that second semester has hit, it seems impossible to keep myself on track. After committing to a college and doing fairly well in my classes, it is hard to push myself to do my very best.

This advice is for me just as much as it is for you because I need to start taking it. It is so difficult to force myself to study after school if it is a nice day outside or when all of my friends all want to hang out. So, I have compiled some advice from myself, a student, and a teacher that teaches mostly seniors.

There is one thing that motivates me most to keep on track: finals. The last thing that I want to do is come here on a nice day in May to take a final for a class that I could have easily gotten an A in if I had tried harder. However, there are still some classes that I can never seem to do well in, like math. My advice is to accept a B in the class that is the most difficult for you if you truly don’t think you can get an A and try your hardest to secure an A in your other classes. If you only have to take one or two finals in your hardest classes, it’s no big deal, but if you are taking all of your finals in “blow-off classes” you will be disappointed in yourself once finals come around.

Another important thing that you can do to fight senioritis is to utilize your study hall. While I personally don’t have a study hall, many of my friends do, and they use it to their advantage. If you focus during your study hall, you can get most of your work done, and then you won’t have to worry about it once you get home. I personally find it to be much easier to stay focused since I’m already at school than trying to study or do homework after I have gotten home and gone to work. I am usually so tired by the end of the night that it is extremely difficult to motivate myself to stay awake or not watch Netflix and study instead.

My friend Eunice Kim seems to always stay motivated to do her homework despite all of the distractions that come with being a second semester senior. I asked her some questions about how she stays focused.

TSP: What are some study tips you have to still do well even though it’s second semester senior year?

EK: “I always try to get the best grades that I can at the beginning of the semester, so then you don’t have to worry about it at the end”  

TSP: How do you keep the motivation to still do well after being accepted to college?

EK:“I keep the motivation to still do well because I want to do the best I can on AP exams.”

TSP: How do you stop yourself from procrastinating or getting distracted?

EK:“I try not to let myself go out or do fun things until I finish all of my work. This makes me want to finish my work early and fast.”

I also asked the AP Psychology teacher, Mr. Mann, and the head of the social studies department, what he thought about senioritis. It is interesting to see how teachers feel about it and if they have any tips on how to overcome it.

TSP: When is the time that you notice most seniors getting distracted?

MM:“I usually start to notice after the AP exam when there are no other assignments.”

TSP: How do you keep your students on track?

MM:“I try to keep my class as interesting as possible by doing experiments after the AP exam.”

TSP: Why do you think students should still try to do their best in classes even if they have already been accepted to college?

MM:“I think that the purpose of education is to learn, not just to get good grades.”

TSP:What is one tip that you have for students who aren’t motivated anymore?

MM:“In life, successful people sprint through the finish line, they don’t crawl”.