Turning an assignment into Canvas within minutes or even seconds when it’s due, wrapping up a paper that’s due the next period, or submitting an assignment half–baked after convincing yourself it would’ve been easy– every student has been in a similar situation.
As with any area of life that demands constant attention and maintenance, there are some days when you just don’t feel it. So, you try putting it off, distracting yourself, or stalling to alleviate your stress.
Except that assignment isn’t going anywhere. In fact, over time, it becomes more and more stress-inducing as you realize that you now have less time to complete it.
Even if it’s something that can be easily done in 10 or 15 minutes, there’s this underlying panic that’s active in the back of your mind; a rush to complete it while you still can. This is a textbook example of procrastination in the school setting.
Studies have shown that individuals aged 14-29 have the highest rates of procrastination, with prolonged instances linked to “depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, ADHD, and poor study habits.” As such, these impacts become apparent for many students as the school year progresses, manifesting in ways such as stress and falling grades.
Thomas Cooke, a junior at Los Osos, has admitted to consistently procrastinating on his schoolwork.
“[I think my] workload is a lot, so I think ‘I’ll just do it tomorrow or later’ so I can relax a bit longer…guess it’s just overwhelming looking at what I have to do.”
Although procrastination does bring short-term relief with not tackling the workload immediately, it usually doesn’t play out well, almost like a devil’s deal. Students such as Cooke find themselves under unhealthy amounts of stress daily due to these unhealthy habits, despite the guise of temporary fulfillment.
However, as with anything, there are potential remedies. When asked about potential strategies for overcoming procrastination, Cooke responded, “Maybe organizing myself a bit better so that I can look at one assignment at a time somehow, kinda [sic] reduce how overwhelming it seems.”
For any student who may find themselves struggling to complete work on time, addressing potential causes and improvements in one’s study environment has shown to be invaluable. Every student grapples with schoolwork differently; finding the healthiest and most effective personal solution is vital.
In high schools, however, a certain “type” of procrastination manifests uniquely among seniors, which has been dubbed “senioritis”. While some have dismissed it as a myth, many student accounts have verified it and brought it to life.
Kristy Bishara, a senior at Los Osos, testified, “As much as I hate to admit it, senioritis is truly a real thing…in the second semester of senior year, your brain starts turning off and not trying as hard…after my college app[lication]s were submitted, I started feeling less of a desire to work hard.”
With their future careers and lives seemingly around the corner, and only an eighth of high school left, some seniors decelerate their efforts, angling themselves on a sort of weak finish, thus negatively impacting their grades. Yet, as students, it’s our responsibility to remain diligent on schoolwork, studies, and extracurriculars.
Ultimately, finding support and motivation in whatever we can–through study groups, tutoring, or mental health resources–will help us to remain on fire for what we have. For example, Bishara commented that her “grades started going down…” as a result of senioritis; however, “seeing that helped me have some more motivation to work harder.”
If you find yourself consistently putting off work and facing a lot of stress and falling grades, don’t panic! With the right resources and strategies, you can address whatever’s causing you to fall behind.
By doing this, you can start building habits and vital skills needed for your future careers and life goals. And please, don’t wait–otherwise, you might have to take summer school.