As seniors slide into their second-semester classes, they have the temptation to embrace just that: the slide. Seniors have begun receiving decisions from universities and worked on countless applications. They are exhausted but are at peace that they have completed everything to be on track for the next fall. Except, they still have to finish strong in order to skip their finals and take their AP tests. Here are five ways to not slide in your senior schedule.
1. Use a planner and/or write to-do lists. Doing this helps senior Jo Lealos keep track of what assignments she needs to prioritize and their due dates. “Write everything down in a physical planner and write a bunch of to-do lists,” Jo Lealos said.
2. Do your homework when it is assigned. It’s crucial to complete your homework in advance if you want to stay on track. Your grades will be sent to your college at the end of the semester which is a good reminder to keep putting in effort. Even if you have already been accepted to that university, dropping grades and poor results in the second semester may not represent you well. The best way to keep grades up is to complete homework assignments. “If I have an activity on an even day, then I won’t have odd homework to do on top of my even homework,” senior Olivia Kinney said.
3. Don’t start the slide. If you stay focused on your homework and don’t give in to the temptation of less homework, you will be able to stay ahead of other students in your classes. It is important to continue to work hard in your classes especially if your freshman and sophomore grades were low and you still need to showcase your strong grades to colleges. “Get your head on straight, and keep grinding,” senior Mason Stenger said.
Get your head on straight, and keep grinding.”
— Mason Stenger
4. Talk to your teachers. It is important to have a good relationship with your teachers especially as we are approaching “skip a final” time. Senior teachers don’t want to write senior finals, but they will be required to if students aren’t passing their classes. “Your teachers care about you and will help you catch up if you are struggling to learn a concept,” Kinney said.
5. Finish on a high note. The most important thing is that you enjoy your senior year in school and out of school. Embrace the last few months of school to understand your peers better and collaborate with each other. Spend time participating in activities out of school, but find a way to balance that with your academics. You don’t want to go out sacrificing one or the other. “I’m just trying to finish with getting good grades, but at the same time just trying to enjoy the last few months we have of high school,” senior Steven Sibri Pina said.