As the school year winds down it’s hard to keep your motivation and spirits high with summer break just around the corner. XPress has decided to provide a guide to surviving the last leg of fourth quarter complete with advice from the staff and peers. Whether you’re struggling to keep up with the end-of-the-year buzz or slogging through a bout of senioritis, this is the guide for you.

Take everything one step at a time.

Sometimes it is easy to get overwhelmed by all of the tasks that need to get done. Writing tasks down in list form organized in descending order according to due dates can help make responsibilities seem less daunting. This way it is easy to prioritize the tasks that are due soon.

Junior Evelyn Cardona said she prefers monotasking because it allows her to retain information more comfortably. When attempting to multitask Cardona finds herself “overwhelmed [by] everything” that needs to be remembered.

According to Time, one study found that only a small percentage of people are “able to multitask effectively.” In fact, when many people attempt to multitask they are actually under an “illusion.”

Some people do prefer to multitask and are able to do so effectively, so make sure you do what works for you and keep up the habit

Sydney Frank, a junior, prefers multitasking. Frank said, “I can get things done at the same time and more efficiently than doing things one at a time.”

Though Frank appreciates the value of monotasking “in some cases,” she is often busy “so multitasking is basically a must.”

Create a schedule

At the beginning of first semester when motivation is high it’s easier to stay on top of agenda keeping. By the end of second semester, sometimes people fall out of the habit. Try not to do this. Creating a schedule can help you stay on task by giving you a clear idea of what needs to get done.

Cardona said, “Creating a schedule or planner [for] managing time helps so much.”

Get the smaller tasks done first.

If you know an assignment will only take you a few minutes, get it done before you start on harder or more time-consuming assignments. That way if you end up spending a long time on the bigger assignment you aren’t crunched for time.

Cardona tries to start with her “easiest homework [and] smallest assignments then working up to the things that demand more time.”

Seniors: remember to take a moment

Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by how fast the year is starting to fly by or frustrated by high school’s adamance to drag on seemingly forever, don’t forget to give yourself a break.

Senior Celina Duran recommends documenting your favorite moments of senior year so that you can look back on them and talking to new people. Duran also emphasized the importance of drinking water and remembering to smile more often.  

Do you have advice you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below.