The struggle of keeping up your grades before the break
More stories from Amanda Corrao
Don’t give yourself a headache–just do it before break!
The second marking period always seems the worst for students to keep their grades up because of Thanksgiving and Christmas break. Lots of students have different strategies to use in order to keep their grades remotely high.
For some students, it’s easier to think ahead instead of procrastinating. After all, nobody likes doing homework during the break.
Senior Jimmy Steele said, “I try to get assignments done ahead of time in order to stay ahead; that way I don’t have to worry about grades going into break.”
For some students, they have teachers that give a last minute assignment to do over the break. Nobody realizes how high the pile of work is until they actually do it.
Sophomore Prince Gaye said, “There’s always that one teacher that gives you an assignment that’s due the day we all come back from break. Procrastination is a true friend until the assignments can’t be pushed back any further. So, I suggest that students do everything ahead of time because having a stress-free break is great.”
The every day assignments may not be enough to keep up your grades.
Junior Nicole Fuller said, “I take advantage of every extra credit opportunity my teachers give me.”
Laziness itself can affect a grade deeply. You can’t always rely on the next assignment to get your grade up.
Senior Isaiah Banks said, “It’s very easy to lose track of your grades. I study and work a little harder during this marking period since I know from experience, it’s hard to redeem yourself once you’ve failed something or got too lazy to do a simple homework assignment.”
For the most part, the student body agrees that procrastination and laziness is going to be a personal regret later on. Don’t wait until you find out there’s only a week left until the marking period ends. Keeping up grades is very important this time of year, no matter how tempting it is to slack off.
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Amanda is a staff writer for the second time this year, this time heading our new Student Life section. She loves the when the moon comes out but she...
Jessica Brumbach • Jan 20, 2015 at 11:01 pm
Everyone experiences procrastination at some point in his or her life. During break, there is no motivation to do any school work because no one wants to be reminded of school when they are given relief from it. In addition, I almost always forget the assignments I had (even if I wrote them down) and end up having to do them last-minute anyways.
Forest Edwards • Jan 20, 2015 at 10:48 pm
Speaking as somebody who can have difficulties keeping grades up at any point, and with colleges sending letters and breaks coming and going, the struggle can be even worse. I just try to ride each wave of work and weather out the hardships until the next lull. It’s easier if I respond to each period of work piecemeal like that, as I at least get some time to relax.
Matt Fuller • Jan 20, 2015 at 10:44 pm
I agree that grades are harder to keep during breaks. From personal experience, I can say grades will drop on their own. You have to watch them like a baby. You must feed them, wash them, and change their diapers. I forgot to change my grades’ diaper and they dropped. Shout out to my sis Nicole in this article! You’re doing God’s work!
Justine Douglas • Jan 20, 2015 at 10:20 pm
Getting work done is difficult in the 2nd marking period! Having two long breaks, who wants to do homework!? I tell myself to get all of my work done during the break and end up procrastinating. My assignments always are completed but it is very difficult to concentrate during class when thinking about Thanksgiving and Christmas break.
Kimberly Nickle • Jan 20, 2015 at 2:04 pm
Before holiday breaks, motivation to actually do one’s work can be very difficult. When our minds are filled with family, friends, free time, and food it’s hard to realize that anything else even exists. Procrastination is something that definitely is present at all times of the year, but it is never more prevalent than before winter break. Tests, projects, and homework are long forgotten in the weeks leading up to holiday breaks and the procrastinator in every student comes out.
Joshua Winton • Jan 20, 2015 at 10:27 am
I know the feeling of procrastination for sure! No one enjoys doing school work, and this just makes the will to do it that much harder. However, I have begun to find that if I just suck it up and do my homework early, life is much easier than if I try to wait until the last moment.
Kyle Wise • Jan 20, 2015 at 4:46 am
As a fellow procrastinator currently finishing up Science fair at 4:30 in the morning, I believe that sometimes it can have its perks. I could have spent hours each weekend typing up all of the results, calculations, and all that goes with science fair, however I saved it for one epic weekend work load. To me procrastination is only as wonderful as the time we get to be stress free. And rather than spending a little time every weekend, for a lot of things I prefer to spend all of my time on it to just get it done. I have probably spent 24 hours out of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday on this project, and it really has not been that bad. Putting all of ones ideas together at once is much easier than splitting up the work–and a few good cups of coffee can go a long way. However, I do agree that if I had done this two weeks ago I might be a little less stressed now, because in 14 hours I have to be swimming at my swim meet, and in three hours I have to be at school, and I am not even close to getting to bed. So I do agree with the idea of doing work early rather than saving it last minute, but doing all of your work at once rather than splitting it up can be a great stress relief knowing that you just got everything out of the way at once.
Cassie Hageman • Jan 13, 2015 at 6:34 pm
Coming from experience it is difficult to find the motivation to do your work around Thanksgiving and Christmas and especially over break. Getting things done ahead of time is always the best way to go. That way you don’t have to worry about it. Procrastinating is never a good thing.
Laura Ferriman • Jan 13, 2015 at 8:46 am
It is very hard not to procrastinate with both Thanksgiving and Christmas break so close together. It always stinks coming back from Christmas break because about a week after you have to worry about midterms. And we all know nobody studies for midterms over Christmas break. Midterm week always tends to be full of stress due to all the procrastination.