Motivation to Get Through Senior Year

kiterunner18 · 05-13-2009, 11:18 PM

This is kind of arbitrary, I just want to see if anyone else feels the same. I'm going to be a senior next year, class of 2010. A lot of my friends are graduating this year, and I'm really sad to see them go. What really sucks is that I think this is hurting my motivation to try exceptionally hard in HS. I want to go to an ivy league school, and I know if I slip up right now, my chance is completely gone. It's just hard to feel hopeful. . . I want to be done with high school, too. Does anyone else feel the same way? Any advice?

woami · 05-13-2009, 11:51 PM

Pretend you have one more year left.

Gryffon5147 · 05-13-2009, 11:53 PM

Let's look at school as a long marathon.

You started out kindergarten, commenced to middle school, then high school, now you're going onto your final year.

Do you want to have ran this far just to quit at this point in the race?

Anon_Person_1 · 05-13-2009, 11:56 PM

I felt REALLY defeated at the end of junior year. The thing is though, while it will suck, there is a light at the tunnel. I can't emphasize this enough. Junior year-you just see how MUCH there is left...and you wince at the sight of it piling up. Senior year is basically just the same workload with college applications. If you're smart, you'll get your essays nailed down during the summer or at worst, November 1. Once apps are done, you have a lot less to worry about, and seemingly a lot more free time. The hardest thing for me this year has been AFTER April 1, when I'm into colleges and I'm like...why am I here? That's why I would try to focus on APs (my school won't count mine, so there was NO incentive for *me* to study) and getting out of requirements. Then you'll be done.

EDIT: Also about marathons-essays and preparing them are like the final lap. You've already (likely) spent hours on SAT prep, APs, SAT IIs, etc, etc, so polish them up and make yourself stand out.

potentiality · 05-13-2009, 11:57 PM

Chin up! I know how you feel. Just prioritize (even if it means putting friends, etc. before homework every once in a while), and keep things in perspective. This is a time for reevaluation for a lot of people. This time of year it's especially easy to contract "junioritis". Just be good to yourself, maintain your grades, and wait it out. You are so close to summer!

birdhouse · 05-13-2009, 11:59 PM

It's life...enjoy what you can.

silvercross · 05-14-2009, 12:52 AM

I remember I felt that way. Sometimes, I would just think about my life and wonder why should I even bother. I mean, no matter what I do, if the UCs won't take me, my community college will. Why all the honors and AP courses when the same basic result emerges?

Then I think of all the people who started high school with me. Nearly all of them wanted to go to schools like Yale, Stanford etc. Certainly a number of them wanted to be doctors or lawyers. But now that I'm in my senior year, most of them have dropped out or slacked off, destroying their chance to get into that school that they wanted so badly. The rejection notices have come in, and I even saw some of my friends cry.

There used to be so many kids in AP/honors courses, yet as the passed by, fewer and fewer people signed up. Why is it that I still remain working when it seems like everyone else is "taking it" easy? Because, while they made their choice, I made mine, cliched as it may sound. I didn't want to look back and think of what I could have done, wishing maybe I tried harder in high school, wishing I got into a better school, wishing my life was different. Ultimately, it comes up to how badly you want something and how much you're willing to do to accomplish it. While it is a good thing to want things to be over with but also remember why you are doing what you do.

theReach · 05-14-2009, 01:35 AM

I don't quite understand why senioritis is considered bad. After you are accepted into a college, all you need is to do is maintain a 3.0 right? I can do that while being lazy as hell.

silvercross · 05-14-2009, 02:27 AM

Well, kiterunner18 is going to a senior next year and obviously senior grades and difficulty of the courses may be crucial depending on what school he/she applies to.

Furthermore, senioritis becomes a habit that is quite hard to break. Falling into such a slump before going off into to college is never a good idea. Frankly, I don't know about you, but I would never take such a gamble with my grades when so much depends on it.

blu_g8orade · 05-14-2009, 03:43 PM

i can't really relate with the OP on this. when my junior year ended, i was actually kind of excited about being a senior the next year and looking into colleges and everything. i definitely didn't want to be done HS after junior year, at least as much as it appears you do. if you really feel like that at this point, you are going to be in for a LONG senior year.

my suggestion is just to have a fun and active summer, and by the time school rolls around you will be ready to work again. i'm a senior now, and i'm not going to lie to you, this past year there were days and weeks at a time where i felt hopeless and defeated. it's pretty much unavoidable. but just try to plan as much fun and leisure activities into your schedule as you can, without sacrificing your priorities.

lockn · 05-14-2009, 07:31 PM

^ Why is every post you make about Gryffon? Obsessed much?

kiterunner18 · 05-14-2009, 11:38 PM

Thanks for the help. Junior year has been the hardest for me. My family has had some problems, and I have had personal issues that I've had to deal with. It's just hard imagining having to spend one more year at my HS. I'm SO ready to expand and grow.

Computerized · 05-15-2009, 12:05 AM

Dude, I feel the exact same way.

kiterunner18 · 05-15-2009, 10:17 PM

I think once I get past the initial sadness of my close friends leaving, I'll be okay. I sure hope so. . .

kiterunner18 · 05-17-2009, 01:25 PM

10char bump