How to Survive the Last Weeks of School

The end of school is swiftly approaching and sometimes it is hard for students to put in their maximum effort because they know ‘the end is near’. For many they have worked hard for their grades, but are having trouble keeping them up, because it can be difficult to put in the same amount of effort as the rest of the year when they know they are almost finished. Some outliers are on the brink of grades and need to make sure they pass, this article hopefully will be a guide in helping students succeed and ultimately survive until June 9th.

“Towards the end of the year school becomes a drag because no one really wants to put in the effort anymore,” said freshman Peter O’Brien.

The first thing you can do to survive until the end of school is to set short goals for yourself. This basically means that make goals such as, finish the school day with one homework assignment from that day already finished. An even simpler goal might be to just make it to the next school day. Setting short, easy goals to accomplish can boost a person’s confidence and give them the energy to make it to the end.

“Setting goals can make it easier to see what you need to do,” said sophomore Beven Yuhas.

Taking care of yourself is a must, and for students to do well they need to feel their best. One way students can take care of themselves is by drinking enough water, and keeping hydrated. While it may not feel like it some days, the weather is heating up and that means drinking more water. More often than not students just cannot concentrate in class because they have a headache, or just cannot focus. By drinking water this could solve the problem of the headache, and maybe help one focus better because it makes them feel alert.

The weather changes frequently in Wisconsin, so students should always dress accordingly. The air conditioning was just frequently turned on in the building, and during hot days it can be helpful, but on chilly Spring days it can be hurtful. If students dress consciously for the weather they may not be too hot or cold in their classes. Feeling comfortable in class is important because if a student is freezing, or sweating they are going to be thinking about how they can change that, rather than the school work.

“Not being dressed correctly during school can definitely affect the focus of your learning,” said Beven Yuhas.

Some teachers may not allow food, but for those who do, bring snacks to class to keep yourself engaged. If you are starving and thinking about lunch, it may be difficult to focus on the task at hand in class. By eating a snack like peanuts, or something with a little protein, it can solve this issue of hunger and help students become more engaged in class.

“Having something to focus on is important, so you’re not bored just doing one thing,” said Peter O’Brien.

Speaking of hunger, eating breakfast truly is important when starting your day. If you don't eat breakfast you may feel fatigued, especially if you didn’t bring a snack for later. By eating breakfast it helps gets your metabolism going and gives you a good start to your day.

A good way to survive the end of the school year is to start reviewing for finals as soon as possible. Reviewing for finals early can take stress off a student’s plate later down the road, and lead to less panic once finals week rolls around.

After putting mass amounts of work into a school year it seems like a bad idea to let that all go to waste. By not getting behind on work it leaves less pressure on students to make sure they have all of their work turned in. If a student does not have all their work turned in, they should start on it quickly because soon enough finals week will come around, and there will definitely not be enough time then.

“Reviewing finals early can help students have more time to absorb information and review with or asks teachers questions about the material. You can also get help from others and have more time to get that help,” said sophomore Elise Sparks.

Taking notes in a class can be a tedious class, but sometimes teachers like to pack in learning new material to the very last day of school. By getting some different colored pens and using those to take notes it can help keep your brain active. A good trick is to switch colors every time you start to get bored, or if you want your notes to be more organized assign a certain color to have a certain meaning.

Throughout the year phones can be a distraction, but when students start to finish up school the temptation is even worse. Turning of your phone, or even activating pocket points can be a helpful way to deter oneself from to temptation and help you focus on the task at hand. The later we get in the year the more important the announcements get, if your teacher is talking about how to pass their final while you are on your phone, that can really be hurtful.

“Phones are always a distraction throughout the year, but the lack of interest and the excitement of the end of the year provides even more of a distraction. People just turn to their phones to curve their boredom,” said Elise Sparks.

Finishing a school year is always hard, but if students have a plan in place, they will definitely make it and end the year on a good note.