After winter break, there will not be many breaks for a while, which can cause many students to lose motivation, causing their grades to drop drastically. While there are many ways to attempt to get back on track, it is hard for most students to find what works best for them, which can cause more stress and even worse motivation to get schoolwork done. However, some students have good routines that might help others to stay motivated too.
Delaney Muller, a senior at Hamburg Area High School, believes that this time of year is especially difficult for students because they are tired, stressed, and unmotivated due to the long period of time without a break from school. She recommends making small goals, taking short breaks, and rewarding yourself with small things after completing work. Delaney says that teachers should be understanding, encouraging, and offer extra help for those who are struggling. She thinks that students should make a change to put their phones down while working to improve their focus.
Allyson Justiniano, in year 11, believes that this time of year, right after winter break, is most stressful because of tests for her classes. A good strategy she uses and recommends others to use is to focus on what needs to get done, keeping distractions as far away as possible. She thinks that teachers could also help students by supporting those who are burnt out by talking with them and asking them what makes them so burnt out while trying to complete schoolwork. Allyson thinks that a small change in the way students focus during class could be to get better sleep so that they can wake up on time and be in a better mood to work diligently.