Once your college apps are completed and you’re just waiting on responses, your senior year of high school can get pretty boring. Senioritis affects everybody, whether you think it will or not. Here are 5 productive things to do so you won’t lose motivation (or your mind) near the end of your time in high school.
1. Remember that your grades still matter.
Even though it’s senior year, any college you get admitted to will likely ask for your second semester transcripts. If you’re serious about attending your dream school or have already committed somewhere, you don’t want them rescinding your scholarships or your spot in the freshman class. Do your best to keep your grades up and remember that all of your hard work will pay off in the end.
2. Plan something with your friends once a week.
Most, if not all, of your friends are feeling the same negative effects of senioritis that you are. If you can coordinate a day, pick a time each week to do something fun all together! Take a trip to the city, go out for ice cream on a weeknight, of meet your bestie for Starbucks after school. You won’t be seeing your best friends every day like you have been for the past four years, so spending as much time as you can with them now will ensure you get to love on them as much as possible!
3. Talk to your favorite teachers during their free periods.
I was lucky enough to have some of my senior year teachers become my favorite ones from all of high school, If they’re available during free periods, chat with them about life, your future, or anything you have in common. Get to know them better and let them know that you appreciate them. Not only will they appreciate you dropping by whenever (and showing them the respect they don’t always receive), but creating better relationships with them can benefit you in the future. Whether you want them to proofread a paper, are seeking life or school advice, or need a reference for a job or internship, they are genuinely good connections to have and keep in your life after high school.
4. Take courses at a community college.
Depending on the high school you attend, some senior year schedules may have lighter workloads or less classes than would fill a normal schedule. If you’re feeling bored, rarely have homework, or want to get ahead on some college credit, look into taking a course or two at your local community college. If you’ve already committed to a school, use Transferology to see which courses would transfer to your college or university. Also, if you’re taking any AP classes, take the end-of-the-year test for them to earn credit in place of gen-ed courses.
5. Spend more time with your family.
Aside from spending time with your friends, your family is just as important. Whether or not you’re super close with your fam, you will miss them at some point your first year of college. So help your mom make dinner. Go run errands with your dad on the weekends. Have movie nights with your siblings. Even the simple things will make you all feel a little bit more fulfilled once you have to leave them.
Any and all of these ideas are great ones to take advantage of your senior year of high school. It’s difficult if you’re uninterested or not busy, but just know that you will get through it. The diploma in your hand and your future planned will be the ultimate payoff for surviving high school!