Anticipation for second semester senior year starts the first day of second semester Junior year. With college tours, standardized testing, college applications, and big decisions on the horizon, second semester should be a time for students to enjoy their last couple months of their high school careers without the monotonous work.
Second Semester Guide for Dummies: How to Succeed Without Really Trying.
During my college application process, when someone mentioned the words ‘second semester,’ it felt like I would never make it to January 24. My teachers were continuously piling on work during school, and when I went home I would have to complete the assigned homework and make sure that my applications were ready to go by December 15.
Weekend one of second semester was a success: four days and four crazy (lazy) nights. Midterms were over, and all I could see was the sunshine and rainbows that (I thought) would be second semester.
But after one day of second semester, I was already dying. Three new assignments in Spanish and a project in physics. Okay, not dying, but definitely not free to watch the whole first season of “Homeland” in two nights. I had to adjust my plan.
Assuming that my teachers aren’t going to stop assigning work and that my parents will still be expecting acceptable grades, I have devised a plan that will allow me to enjoy my life as a second semester senior while still looking like I care about school.
Step One: Pay attention in class. Make your teachers think that you’re still interested in what they have to say. Open your computer and take notes (or pretend to) but don’t put your headphones on and completely zone out. You might even want to actually pay attention when you think a test could be assigned. Let’s be honest. We all know you won’t be studying.
Step Two: Complete the “busy work” assignments. Taking twenty minutes away from the TV to focus on practice work and short readings will give you a nice cushion – grade-wise – when you choose not to study for the bigger tests or completely ignore a project.
Step Three: Get as much work done in school as possible. Use frees and lunch periods or even class time to knock out small assignments. This will allow more time for Facebook stalking and passing out in bed for three hour naps when you get home from school.
Step Four: Exercise. This sounds weird, but it helps. Finding half an hour in your day to work out will not only distract you from the pointless math worksheets, Spanish practice problems, and writing exercises you might have, but will physically prepare you for those treacherous hikes up three flights of stairs. The stairs aren’t going away, and it certainly isn’t going to get easier with less motivation.
Step Five: Spend as much time with your friends and family as possible. In a couple months, you and your friends will leave each other for the summer. Some will go off to pre-college programs or make their way to their beloved camps to be a counselor or sit by their pool in the 06880 and do absolutely nothing. In Westport style, you all might begin the summer by going to your Fire Island beach-house, but not too long after, everyone will begin packing up and shipping off to college. If you have to choose between a homework assignment and hanging out with friends; ditch the work.
Step Six: It’s your senior year. It only happens once. Cross stuff off your bucket list and make things happen.
Suggested bucket list:
1. Go see a movie on a school night
2. Create a school wide flash mob
3. Take trapeze lessons
4. Plan the best senior prank ever, and execute it
Step Seven: Let the stress of the last four years roll off of your shoulders and show everyone that you can succeed without really trying.
