“Don’t stop when you’re tired, stop when you’re done”-(David Goggins)

I’m sure everyone has had to persevere through a goal once they get towards the end. Or maybe you are hearing about it in your school like I did. I always thought it was just a funny word, senioritis, but guess what? I think I caught a case of it! And I didn’t even realize it until I sat down to write this article.  

A few weeks ago, I started feeling super drained when it came to school. My homework felt heavier, my backpack seemed like a rock, and even easy tasks felt hard. I kept thinking, “I’ll do it later,” but “later” never came. My grades slipped a little, and my parents started to notice it and asked if I was okay. I said, “I’m fine!” But really, I wasn’t. I just didn’t know why. Then, while writing this, it hit me: this is senioritis!

But here’s the thing, it’s not laziness. Laziness is when you don’t want to try. Senioritis? It’s more like… burnout. Imagine running a really long race. By the end, your legs feel wobbly, and you just want to sit down. That’s how school feels after years of working hard. Your brain is just fatigued!  

So how do we fight senioritis? Start small with taking small breaks, or working in increments. Like thirty minutes as focused as you can and a five to ten minute break then repeat. When homework feels too big, set a timer. Work for fifteen minutes, then dance to one song or walk outside. Tiny breaks help your brain reset! Go talk to someone, let it out, tell a teacher, friend, or family member how you’re feeling. Sometimes, saying it out loud makes it lighter.

“If you don’t get it off your chest, you won’t be able to breathe”-(Stephanie Earheart).

Make a fun list of the things you love to do and when it feels boring or you need a boost of energy just look at the list, it’s a mental thing. You could also have a token of motivation to remind yourself of your “why”. Your “why” is what, who, and why you’re doing what you’re doing. Maybe you have to be the one in your family to go to college. Look at the list or piece of sentimental value when school feels boring. Lastly, give yourself gratitude, reward yourself with something small like clapping for yourself. The little wins like that will add up, even if you only finished one math problem and jumped up to dance.

I’m not perfect at this, nobody is perfect. Last Monday, I told my teacher I could have everything done by the end of the day, but I ended up sitting at the computer the whole day even procrastinating at some points. I still ended up accomplishing a lot, but it could have gone smoother. Writing this article is my promise to do better. Not only a promise to myself, but to the people reading. I try to be a man of honor, and if I make a promise to multiple people, I definitely have to stand on that. Maybe you feel this way too? Let’s promise together: It’s never too late to try again. It’s not about when you start.

“It’s not about how you start, it’s about how you finish”-(Jim George)

Senioritis might make us feel stuck, but we can’t let it win. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about not giving up. Even if we’re tired, we can still try one more time. Because another thing that matters isn’t how fast we finish, it’s what we put into the race. So here’s my deal, I’ll take my own advice. I’ll ask for help when I need it. I’ll celebrate tiny victories. And I’ll remember that every day is a fresh start. Who’s with me?  

Let’s prove senioritis isn’t laziness, one deep breath, one homework page, and one small win at a time. We’ve got this! Go Hawks!

Sincerely— A Student Who’s Still Trying