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It’s that time of year! Students are back from spring break physically, but mentally they’re still in that sunny, lax, happy place which, to them, is anywhere, but the classroom. The last few months of school are the true test of resilience for students in this make-it-or-break-it scenario. To help pick you up and carry you through, here are 10 quick tips to keep you motivated until you’ve finally made it to the finish line of summer:

1. Look forward to the Little things

It’s easy to get into a post-spring break depression, but a simple way to keep you motivated is to look forward to the small, but significant upcoming events in your life. Sure, you may have 30 something days of school left, but you only have 7 days until prom and 15 days until your spring sport’s banquet. This series of mini countdowns will all pay off and time will just fly by!

2. Be inspired

It can be hard to force enthusiasm towards the end of the school year, so look for other sources for inspiration. Pinterest is bursting with inspirational quotes and now many phones have apps with the sole purpose to send you inspirational messages on a daily basis. You don’t have to rely on yourself to get through the year, and maybe getting that extra boost of motivation is just a touch away on your phone.

3. Keep it positive

The bottom line is your attitude has the biggest influence on your life. If you think that school will be a drag, it will be. The right attitude can make the last few weeks actually enjoyable. Keep up a positive attitude, and most likely, your final weeks of school will be, no surprise, positive!

4. Scared Straight

If a good attitude or inspiration doesn’t work for you, you can always rely on a tactic my senior English teacher loved to reference throughout all of second semester. Basically her horror story went like this: a boy in her high school got in early admission to a top ten school and got a great scholarship. Sounds pretty much like a dream come true. The boy, deciding that his job in high school was done, spent his senior second semester partying and blowing off classes and grades. He ended up barely passing that semester, and his new grades prompted that college to contact him saying the school no longer wanted him as a student. So that kid was left college-less and luckless in the end. Don’t become this kid.

5. Don’t slack on your routine

You’ve had a routine going the entirety of the school year, and the last couple weeks of school is not the time to try something new like not completing homework and flunking classes. Stick with what you know and save any experimentations for another time when they won’t affect your grades.

6. Healthy Life, Healthy Mind

Don’t let stress take the toll on you! Make sure you are getting enough sleep and eating healthy every day. By taking care of yourself physically, you’ll find it easier to focus in class and you’ll have more energy to complete all that you need to do.

7. Incorporate work with play

Doing your school work doesn’t have to stop you from meeting your summer calling. If you want to be outside, then take your homework outside with you. You get a tan and a decent grade. By multitasking, you get the best of both worlds.

8. Make a List, Check it Twice

Sometimes you have to make a visible sign of progress for yourself. Make a countdown calendar to show how far you’ve come and how few days you actually have to go. On a daily basis, something I do is make a list of all the things I have to accomplish that day, and by being able to cross item after item off the list is a small, but meaningful victory in itself.

9. Treat Yourself

Give yourself rewards at the end. For finishing your homework, award yourself by doing something you enjoy. Remember that the ultimate reward of whatever school work you’re dreading now is summer. You might feel emotionally, mentally, and physically drained now, but you are so close to having three months to rejuvenate!

10. Lean on Me

Guess what? You are not alone on this struggle to complete the semester. In fact, if you meet someone who hasn’t felt a touch of senioritis, that’s strange. Rely on a strong support system of friends. Vent to them about your stress and motivate each other to finish strong this semester.

Hope these tips will help you through your last few crazy weeks of school! To end, I want to share one of my favorite quotes: “Remember how you’ve come, not just how far you have to go. You aren’t where you want to be, but neither are you where you used to be.”

We want to know how you’re staying motivated for the school year! Share with me @nattymay14 and tag #UChic to share your though or leave us a comment below.

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By Natalie Mayer