Semester two is always the hardest. As we inch closer to summer, students find themselves grappling with fear and anticipation. Whether it is preparing to venture off to college and leaving one’s familiar hometown behind or navigating the complexities of the remaining weeks of the year, this phase demands attention. Add to that the remaining burnout from a challenging previous semester and impending exam stress, and it becomes a lot to handle.
Junior Aliya Hinton, who is in the IB program, swears by her trusty planner. When asked how she deals with procrastination and lack of motivation, “It’s important to have a specific day to do work. For me that’s Sundays.” Procrastination is something many people fall victim to, whether it is everyday or just occasionally, and once one gets into the habit of it, starting things on time becomes increasingly more difficult. When faced with an assignment, commit to at least ten minutes of focused work. Staying on top of a heavy workload will reduce stress tremendously and prevent last minute scrambling.
Navigating senior year can be stressful with all of the college planning required, but for this year’s juniors, getting a head start is vital. Senior Sofia Chalbaud said “Doing your essays and supplementals over the summer is going to save you so much time.” Most students struggle to have much free time with the amount of work they receive. Adding the demands of college applications on top of that can seem nearly impossible. Although everyone prefers summer to be work-free, starting early will pay off later.
Teachers are not here just to teach lectures, they are also helpful resources willing to support. Asking teachers for assistance is key to flourishing in class, as well as taking time to study material each night, or at least two times each week. When asked what she’s doing to prepare for upcoming AP exams, Junior Chloe Cohen said,“I’m planning on studying material from the past.” With AP exams approaching, revisiting material dating back to the beginning of the year will pay off. Regular review keeps concepts fresh and prevents memory gaps. Incorporating these strategies has the potential to result in a higher GPA.
Semester two does not need to be so overwhelming and stressful. Proactive planning, consistent effort, and utilizing available resources are key to thriving through the end of the year.
