When the new freshman class enters the halls of Dulaney High School each year, most are prepared to work hard to achieve top grades and find their place at a new school. However, as students progress through grade levels, it seemingly becomes increasingly difficult to find the motivation and work ethic to effectively manage their time. Attempting to balance school, a job, extracurricular activities and a normal sleep schedule can be a daunting task.

Increases in procrastination can stem from lack of understanding, low energy, poor organization skills or concentration issues. Many students may simply feel as though they need a break after a long day of school or sports, and lose the motivation to start their work. If this is a familiar feeling for you, here’s a few tips that may help increase your productivity:

     – Start your work the day it’s assigned and split it up. For example, if assigned six chapters of a novel for English, knowing that you’ll have less time tomorrow, you can read four chapters tonight and two tomorrow night.

     – Organize yourself. Make a list of what needs to get done, and ensure you have all the necessary materials on hand. Make checklists and cross items off once you’ve completed them.

     – Take breaks. Plan to work for 45 minutes and then take 15 minutes for yourself before diving back in.

     – Change your surroundings. If you’re used to working in a certain area, it can become easy to feel as though you can’t focus because of its familiarity. Move to another place in your house, or have a family member come do their own work alongside you.

For most current high school students, this school year is their first seemingly normal year of high school. Since the return from virtual learning, many students have struggled to face the harsh realities of difficult classes and increasing workloads. Procrastination is a completely normal part of being a teenager in today’s society. With daily stressors like family, friends, sports and extracurriculars, the amount of schoolwork given to students would make anyone feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day. 

The cleverly coined term “senioritis” seems to be affecting students earlier and earlier, especially since the transition back to in-person learning, leaving many seniors who are anxiously awaiting graduation feeling burnt out only a few months into the school year. Students of other grade levels jokingly refer to their increasing procrastinative tendencies as “junioritis” or the like for lower grades. If you feel like you’re trapped in your own dawdling, you’re not alone; high school is a whirlwind, but it’s where you’ll learn to manage your time and create a lasting work ethic.

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