Student Motivation

At the beginning of the year, students start the year strong by keeping up with assignments, studying for tests, and paying attention. Towards the end of the school year, students begin to check out. Why?

By: Anex Estrada

Most students, when they begin the year, say that they’ll stay productive throughout the year and start the school year motivated. As the school year goes on, though, that motivation begins to drop. 

There can be multiple reasons why motivation can drop, such as being exhausted from repeated testing, assignments, and socializing with others at school, which can all be mentally and physically draining.

“I feel like people get a little tired… and on top of [that] school work and other things I get to do.” Izaiah Hernandez ‘28

Mental health can also be another contender when motivation drops because students can have things going on in their lives that make it hard to stay focused on their schoolwork.

Motivation to do schoolwork can also drop as breaks begin to approach. Most students begin to feel checked out since they’re just waiting for the break to begin and believe that none of their schoolwork matters. “Motivation dies down at the end of the year because everyone loosens up…They see it as an opportunity that they can start relaxing, and it’s about to be the end of the year,” says Saul Vasquez Rios ’27

‘Sophmore Slump’ and ‘Seniorits’ are terms that are often used by students to explain why they feel so unmotivated throughout the year.  

When asked if ‘Sophomore Slump’ is something that she’ll get hit with this year, Riley McNarma ‘28 says, “Honestly, I don’t think sophomore slump will ever hit me because I see the world in a very happy way.” 

‘Sophmore Slump’ is a period of declining performance, motivation, and success. The excitement of freshman year wears off, and sophomore year begins to feel a bit more real compared to the last year, which can lead some students to feel a lack of motivation and exhaustion.

‘Senioritis’ is a period when most seniors don’t feel the need to try on any assignments anymore just because they’re a senior and are about to graduate. ‘Senioritis’ tends to hit during the second semester as graduation approaches.

So, how can you prevent all of this lack of motivation?

Building a consistent routine that you follow daily can help with staying on track and making sure you get everything done. A planner would also be a very helpful tool to make sure that you have all assignments you need to complete written down.

Prioritizing sleep is another important thing to stay motivated in school. Those who typically don’t get about 8 hours of sleep tend to be less attentive in class, learn less, and may get tired more quickly throughout the school day.

When asked what some ways to stay motivated are, Vasquez ’27 says, ” My parents told me to stay on top of your work, do your stuff. I never listened to them [and] that’s what got me sent to Sequoia High School. Now I just take their advice and stay on top of my stuff and do my work.”

And lastly, make sure to have fun! The key to staying motivated isn’t to always be thinking about school, but to manage your time during and outside of school.

Hanging out with friends, even studying with friends, can make you feel more motivated because you are fitting both into your schedule.

“Usually I try to hang out with my friends, or if I’m losing motivation, I’ll go to roller town [and] get some alone time.” Riley McNarma ‘29

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