With only weeks remaining for the seniors, the struggle to stay motivated and engaged has become a problem for many. What’s the point in continuing to work hard when you already know where you’re going to school? How do you stay focused when the sun is out and there’s so many things you’d rather be doing?
These questions have plagued seniors for years, and the class of ‘24 is no different. “It’s hard to stay focused when you can really see the end. I’m more focused on after school than I am for actually being in school,” Kaleb Owens said.
Owens, like many seniors, is focused on what will come after high school rather than staying locked-in for the final three weeks of school. Though it’s tough to keep perspective in mind and focus on the task at hand, some seniors have found ways to stay engaged with so little time left. “I stay very engaged because my teachers give me a lot of work, so I always have something to do. I also stay engaged because I’ve gotten close with my teachers, so I feel like I have a good connection with them,” Sam Waldow said.
Other students are still riding the high of the many events seniors have planned for the end of the year, or from other commitments that forced them to stay engaged. Kate Webb participated in the spring musical, Newsies, playing Medda Larkin. “Being in the play forced me to stay engaged because you can’t be in it if you don’t keep your grades up and be at school, and it also gave me motivation to come to school because I had rehearsal every day,” Webb said.
With only a handful of weeks remaining before graduation, many seniors are looking forward to the upcoming senior activities. “I think I’m most excited for the grad night after graduation,” Trevor Lowery said. “ I’m excited to see the surprise and the mystery element of it. I don’t know what to expect so I’m expecting the unexpected.”