Like every senior always says, senioritis is so real and finding the motivation to finish school is a major struggle. That being said, I have never been less motivated in school in my entire life. Seriously- high school senioritis is nothing compared to this-and I find homework to be the biggest battle of all. But, I decided to switch up my homework routine and now refuse to do any homework on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sounds crazy, I know, but hear me out as I try to convince you to do the same.
First, I will start with my reasoning for switching my schedule in the first place. I am only in two classes on campus this semester and I take two online courses, which makes my time actually in a classroom minimal. It also gives me zero desire to do homework when I’m not at school, which made me realize I have to find a way to keep up on my studies. Along with that, I have a job that gives me nights and weekends off, so naturally I want to take advantage of the free time. These factors are a large reason behind my change in homework schedule.
I thought a lot about my new schedule and how I was going to keep myself on top of homework after the first week of classes. I was worried my lack of time on campus would make me neglect my homework and ruin my semester. I knew I couldn’ t let this happen and thought that maybe I could work super hard Monday through Thursday and reward myself with taking Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. At first I thought I was dreaming too big, but then decided it could work if I really stick to it. On busier weeks, it does mean I’m staying up a little later, but it’s so worth the free weekends. Seriously, let me tell you why it is such a rewarding system.
Before I did this, I never really felt like I was getting a break from responsibilities, even on weekends when I had plans with friends, or went home to visit family. I still had to take time to sneak into my room and write an essay or study notes. It caused me more stress and concern than I initially realized, and I didn’t really feel like I could fully focus on my free-time. Now, I can, and I love forgetting I’m a student on the weekends and going out shopping, or spending a day in watching movies and catching up on rest. I don’t even think about school because I have *nothing* to do. It truly gives me a better head space to tackle school work during the week, because I enter each Monday morning with a fresh mindset on my upcoming week. Even though I am still as busy as ever, I feel like I can actually take a step back and not feel bad about it, which as a student, is extremely valuable.
Honestly, mental health is truly an important priority we should all take into account. It’s hard not to get bogged down by the things we have to complete or the responsibilities we take on, but learning to manage it and fit in a true break makes all the difference. If you can, I highly recommend trying to take the weekends off of schoolwork, because I find I’m more able to manage my stress than I ever have before, and that’s truly a huge weight off my shoulders. Yes, you have to work a little harder four days out of the week, but it’s totally worth the three days of stress-free fun.