I guess I can't really relate to other kids my age at other high schools. As a senior in high school, the rush to apply to colleges and applications is through, and at this point, if I stopped turning in homework, I would have an 85% or above in all of my classes, comic lit excluded. Even so, I'm not going to do that. Senioritis really hasn't been a big deal for me like it is for some of my classmates.
I'm not going to deny that I slack off. I am a big slacker. But when I search for "senioritis" and "cures" for it when I'm feeling a lot lazier than usual, what I find is a degree apathy that I have never experienced. That was until this week. I have two weeks left until I graduate, and I only have one more week of class. In that week, I have to give two memorized presentations, one in Spanish, the other in English and a band concert. There's no way I can blow this off. The only problem is, I don't want to do it.
Writing this is clearing my head. One of the most effective ways for me to increase my motivation is to do something, to take a break, like I am now. My only issue is that I'm on the computer, and the excessive visual stimulus and informational bombardment that comes from the computer, especially the internet, is distracting for me. I can stay on the computer for hours, and not even realize the time that has passed. So, I say, taking a break from work helps me, as long as it doesn't involve something as visually stimulating like video games or using the internet.
I'm also looking at the "to-do" list lying next to me. Two of the eleven items are already crossed off, which is nice, but not particularly motivating. Maybe I'll cross them off again, in a satisfying color, like red. Maybe I'll do the first of my four remaining physics corrections (7 total). I'm already more than halfway done with it, so it should take five minutes max. Out will come my satisfying red pen to cross it off and decrease my workload. After that I'll do something else that will use up about five minutes. Each of the letters I need to write will take about that long. In about ten more minutes, two more "assignments" will be covered in red ink. I'll have 5 red lines on my paper and only six more things to do. That looks a lot more motivating. Never underestimate the power of a list with bright colors running through every item telling you "Now you can go do what you want!"
I kind of wish I had something else to look forward to this semester. Last month, in April, there was an event that I had to plan around every week. Week 1: the Citywide Knowledge Bowl Meet. Week 2: the National Spanish exam, All-State Honor Band, and Senior Prom. Week 3: the State Knowledge Bowl tournament. Week 4: The talent show audition, and week 5 I did the talent show itself. It was a relief when the chaos ended, but now, I'm bored. When I realized I would be missing four days of class in one month, I had to work around it and focus really hard. Finding something I am motivated about and having to juggle time between that and school keeps my slacking tendencies away. I only went on the internet about five times last month, and got all my homework done by 6:30 pm. I get home about 4:00 pm. Getting involved in something extracurricular really reduced my ability to slack this year. It was refreshing.
I've spent about twenty minutes writing this. I suppose I'll go back to work before I get even more distracted. Let the school year rage on and go out suddenly, with a bang.
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