Thriving Amidst Challenges: The Redwood Blueprint to Academic Motivation

Redwood students talk about their challenges of staying motivated throughout the school year.

By: Chloe Falcon

In the busy halls of Redwood, where the air is thick with the promise of knowledge and the pursuit of dreams, students find themselves on a challenging journey — the academic school year. Despite facing deadlines, exams, and countless responsibilities, students remain motivated. The work becomes more challenging as the school year progresses, but some persevere. What drives these students to overcome the odds and maintain their passion?

1. Balancing Work and Play

Maintaining motivation requires a delicate balance between work and play. Recognizing the importance of breaks, hobbies, and self-care is crucial for sustaining the mental and emotional energy needed to tackle academic challenges. Students who prioritize a well-rounded lifestyle find themselves better prepared to navigate the hardship of the school year.

Abigail Rodriguez ‘27 is surrounded by a close-knit family and a circle of friends from the chamber orchestra and beyond, but with the support of her family, she can balance her work with play. These connections keep her inspired and moving forward in my pursuits.

She says, “I have a really good family and then also have a lot of friends in the chamber orchestra and just like the outside of that so I think the help can’t keep me motivated.”

2. Building a Supportive Community

The journey through education isn’t a solo ride. Students who surround themselves with a supportive community, be it friends, family, or mentors, find strength in shared experiences. Collaborative learning environments, study groups, and open communication create a feeling of belonging.

Abigail Ray ‘26 thinks that when people create a positive and supportive atmosphere—where they interact well, stay optimistic, and collaborate—it leads to a healthier environment overall.

Ray says, “I feel like if we all just kind of were a little bit positive and like united with each other and weren’t so like picky choosy about who we were nice with I feel like that would be a lot better and I feel like we’re all just a little too mean to each other and judgmental.”

3. Setting Clear Goals

Successful students understand the power of clear goals. Whether aiming for academic excellence, personal growth, or skill development, setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals provides a road to success. These goals act as a constant reminder of the larger purpose, fueling the motivation to overcome daily challenges.

Chloe Seals ‘25 believes that by setting her sights on post-graduation goals, it’s clear that every task, big or small, plays a crucial role in paving the way to success. Whether it’s a specific assignment or just staying motivated, the commitment to doing well is key to building the path toward achieving my objectives

She says, “I would say just looking towards my end goal knowing that by doing this thing, it will eventually lead me to where I want to be after I graduate. And even like just once while assignment that can, you know, set you towards success that by doing by continuing to do good and continue to keep up your motivation, you’re setting yourself up for success”

4. The Planner’s Dilemma: Organizing Chaos

In the digital age, planners and calendars are the unacknowledged heroes of the six-class saga. Students precisely schedule study sessions, project deadlines, and exam preparations to prevent the looming wrath of chaos. Staying ahead requires watching the immediate future and glimpsing into the coming weeks and months.

Chloe Seals is actively involved in numerous extracurricular activities. She skillfully juggles her diverse commitments and effectively manages her time throughout the week.

She says, “I’d say again, time management. I love my to-do list. I come home, I always write down a to-do list and I, I probably have like three to-do lists a day, which I feel like that helps me stay on track just knowing, you know, my high priority tasks, things I can kind of wait on and I don’t have to worry about that quite yet.”