Semester two: you are at a point in the school year where you can finally see an end in sight. With less than five months left of the school year, you have made it past the halfway point. But make no mistake, there are two more quarters ahead of you and there is still a great deal of work to be done. Here are some foolproof methods to beat the “Semester Two sloth”.

Set goals

Having a set of goals and identifying solutions to achieve these goals will keep you motivated and engaged. You can start off by categorizing areas of your life in which you would like to see a change, and perhaps improvements you would like to make. Evidently, school, sports, and extracurriculars will most likely be the primary areas of your life in which you identify improvements you would like to make, but do not forget your personal life too. Having tangible and intangible goals will help you move forward in these coming months. 

Learn time management

Being able to effectively manage your time will help prevent perhaps the biggest threat to grades and productivity: procrastination. High school students are one of the most over-scheduled groups of individuals. School, homework, part-time jobs, sports, clubs, relationships, and the desire for a social life balance are integral to many students’ lives. Setting a fixed schedule for yourself to manage your activities will help keep you organized and give you minimal time to procrastinate, as you will be onto the next thing before you can even begin to scroll through Tik Tok. This can effectively be done by keeping an agenda, calendar or some sort of planning method either physically or on your device.

Assume more responsibilities

This goes especially for my fellow seniors. Assuming greater responsibility in your daily life will help keep you accountable. This can mean helping out more at home, or getting an internship or part-time job. A part-time job is especially helpful because it will also help to manage your finances. Having a job will also help with time management, as it will force you to schedule homework, extracurriculars and your social life around your shifts. 

Make time for you

Self-care is an integral component of a happy and successful life. Setting aside time for self-care is equally as important as setting aside time for homework or other obligations. Having a self-care routine will help to keep you grounded during periods of high activity. 

In conclusion, you may feel as though the end of the year is impending, but you still have ways to go. With two semesters left, this is no time to let go of the reins. Hopefully with these tips, you will have a successful second half of the year.