By: Evyn Firestone
As the year 2023 begins, students are returning to school after a restful two weeks. With this comes a cycle that has quietly repeated each year, and not noticed by most. This cycle is the drop in grades. This is known to apply to high school seniors; however, all grades are affected. Due to the break in the year, there is a new semester starting grades at zero. Depending on their grades from the previous semester, students do not try as hard, feeling as if they do not need to. In addition, the increase in hard work at the end of the year for finals has made students too comfortable and they often slack on due dates and effort.
The looming second half of the year is seemingly less threatening than the full year and students underestimate school. The break in routine during winter break seems like a breath of fresh air, however it really makes students forget what school is like. They become too comfortable without a structured routine and lose some of the study habits they have gained during the first semester.
Most people do not know this and when they come back, they carry on with the same behavior without some study tips. It is harder to get back into a groove of studying and homework after a two-week break. Students’ underestimate the workload of the second half of the year often carrying the mindset of “I’ve finished one semester, how hard can the second one be?” This is a mistake because of the loss of structure. It is hard to drop something you have been practicing, like a sport, for an extended period to then try and pick it up after not touching it the whole time. Unlike a sport, this is not something that can be helped and being aware of these behavior patterns can help motivate students to do better.
Students, especially seniors, feel that they have met the goals of the year. Whether they have already gotten into college or feel at ease in their position in school, they become relaxed, often putting school on the back burner. Students shouldn’t do this because it is untrue. The whole school year counts and matters, not just the first half. This slump doesn’t just affect students, it affects teachers too.
Mrs. Olson, the APHug teacher at North Springs High School, says that it is hard for teachers to get back into a routine after winter break. She says “Teachers know that the longest months of the school year are from January to spring break. The fall seems to move so much more quickly…. just feels like it.”
Mr. Owmby, a Spanish teacher at North Springs, shares “The very mention of the month of January causes a lot of folks to lose motivation to do anything except hide their head under a blanket and pray fervently for the first day of spring. January can be a down, “blue” month in a lot of ways. And I say that, even though I was born in it. Teachers are no different!”
Mrs. Olson also shares “Students, especially freshman, are not fully convinced still that high school grades are permanent. In middle school, many could keep getting pushed forward, whereas in high school, if you fail, you fail and it means credit recovery, summer school, or worst-case scenario, you are in the same class the next year, with the same teacher, but with the grade below you. This can be a motivator for kids for second semester to do better than first semester and learn from that. Although, with upperclassmen, especially seniors, they are 3-4 years in and are running out of steam. Senioritis is a real thing and sometimes it starts junior year.”
Olson believes this is the case because, “I think that the fall semester is new and fun. By the time you get to January, the come down from the holidays and winter break and poor weather can just zap the motivation out of teachers and students.” She expresses that students should set new goals for themselves that they believe they can maintain.
“How to stop a second semester slump before it starts” has some helpful tips to be prepared. It says to end your year on a high note to resume your routine easier. Creating new goals is a big way to keep yourself motivated to finish the school year. Trying to better yourself and work towards new year’s resolutions give you something to aim for. In addition, don’t be afraid to aim high. Some goals are unrealistic, but you can still work towards them. Set the bar high so you land where you need to be. Honesty and accountability are the toughest steps to beating the slump, but they are super important. Have someone else be honest and hold you accountable if you find yourself unable to. Believe in yourself and your capability.https://www.ivywise.com/blog/how-to-stop-a-second-semester-slump-before-it-starts/
