The third quarter has officially begun, and so has the burnout that follows. As students return from winter break, students’ motivation decreases and each course load increases. Students in Advanced Placement classes are beginning to prepare for exams and teachers are working to end the year off strong.
In a Google Form sent out to the student body, students were asked how they were feeling about the third quarter. Out of 151 responses, 26 students responded that they were “super unmotivated.” A total of 28 replies stated that they were “unmotivated,” and 50 students responded saying they felt “neutral” towards the third quarter. With 37 responses saying they were “motivated,” this only left 11 students relying that they were “super motivated.”
With no doubt that many students struggle to fight the third quarter burnout, seniors most definitely feel it the worse. The thought of graduation right around the corner and the stress of college applications quickly coming to an end, seniors were asked how they stay motivated during the dreaded quarter.
“When I am experiencing burnout during the third quarter, I typically try to get outside more. Being outside tends to be very refreshing and can allow me to be more productive afterwards,” senior Trenten Cash said.
Cash recommended that students try and stay active with their friends during the quarter.
“Doing nothing but staying on your phone and alone in your room will only drag you into a loop of laziness and unwillingness to do schoolwork,” Cash said.
Cash continued by giving a piece of advice to underclassmen.
“School may seem to be boring and slow, but simply concentrating on the work that you currently have and locking in for a semester or two can really make a difference for you as a person,” Cash said.
Senior Cassandra Silver also shared how she remains motivated during the third quarter.
“I try to focus on what my top priority is and start there, so I don’t get overwhelmed by all the assignments and tests hanging over me,” Silver said.
Silver’s most used tip to prevent and help third quarter burnout is to get rest.
“Making sure I’m in bed at a reasonable time helps me to use the few hours that I have more productively,” Silver said.
As for senior Spencer Murri, he has been able to find the benefits of his education and used them to remain motivated.
“I’ve been able to stay motivated because I’ve come to understand the benefits of school, even when it’s not always the thing that I want to do the most, it will eventually be beneficial to me,” Murri said.
Murri’s biggest piece of advice to underclassmen is to not make school the sole focus of your life.
“Find something other than schoolwork which you can engage in that helps you to relax and decompress a little bit,” Murri said.
While the third quarter motivation decreases, hopefully these senior suggested tips and tricks can allow students to stay engaged and productive through the hardest quarter of the year.
