For high school seniors everywhere, a heavy burden has just been lifted. After years of high school classes and months of the grueling college application process, the second semester has arrived, and seniors can’t wait to kick back, forget school and do whatever they see fit until graduation on June 6. Despite the temptation to spend the next few months asleep, partying or getting into trouble, there are plenty of ways to find a productive middle ground between being a hardworking student and a total senioritis victim.
If you do plan on rolling back your focus on school over the next few months, you are giving yourself a great opportunity to devote more time to other activities you love. For example, I intend to put more effort into The Pitch and playing ultimate frisbee this semester. Activities such as sports, jobs and other extracurriculars are perfect outlets in which to concentrate your energy. Another great idea is to prioritize sleep over other pursuits. Most seniors have slogged through far too many long nights and drowsy days, so from now on, try setting a certain time to go to bed at each night, regardless of your homework situation.
It could be beneficial to plan your afternoons and evenings around extracurriculars and sleep and devote the remaining time to homework. You’ll likely find that you feel a lot better each day, thanks to more sleep and less stress. This semester is a great time to grow and improve yourself, while at the same time relieving the stress of the last three and a half years. If the next four months are done right, every senior can come out feeling great and more prepared for college and beyond than ever before.
