The demotivated student: are YOU on track with your schoolwork? Tuesday, December 27, 2011 By Maia H.-S. - Advertising     "Ugh, I haven't done any schoolwork today."  "I haven't done anything in over a week!"  This was just the start of another Skype conversation with my good friend Maria Sweeney.  A senior at Keystone, Maria was one of the first "Keystoners" I became close friends with when I enrolled last year.  And just like me, she's been having trouble juggling schoolwork, family, and all of these other distractions that pop up at the worst moments.  At the time of that conversation, we were both at about the same place in our schedules – way behind.  With the new year coming up, now was the perfect time to do something about it. So is there something about online school that makes it easy to get off track, or is it just that Maria and I suffer from a tremendous lack of self-discipline?  As I set out to discover the truth, I found out that opinions definitely vary from student to student.  Whether it's a matter of luck or lifestyle, everyone has a slightly different story. “I spread my classes out in semesters this year,” writes Clarke’ Snell, a senior.  “I’m actually doing [better] this year than any other year.  I’ve adjusted, you just have to [find a schedule] that works for you.  You get behind, you realize [you’re in trouble], so you try something else that works better.” Finding that perfect schedule, however, may not always be easy.  In many cases, students have to adapt to different living situations.  “I’m in a house where so many people distract me,” explains Maria.  “A lot of the [chores] I have to do must be done in the morning, so when I finally sit down to work, I have a hard time concentrating. [My] mind is somewhere else.”  In fact, family is one of the top distractions that Keystone students list.  “They’re supportive,” Maria says of her parents, “but they also don’t know too much about the system.  They don’t know how long it takes to do [the work], and then they distract me [throughout the day].” Other common distractions include, not surprisingly, the Internet and Facebook.  Based on the information I collected from the students I interviewed, the average time spent on schoolwork every day is 6 hours – and an almost equal amount of time is spent browsing Facebook and other social networks.  However, it turns out that even opinions on Facebook differ:  “I have actually found Facebook to be a helpful resource,” says Felix Jarrar, a senior student from Connecticut.  “I can connect with [students] that are in the same classes as me.  We can help each other out [and] talk about the courses.”  But while Facebook can be a great way for study buddies to keep in touch, many other students regard it almost as the plague.  “I used to spend [several hours on Facebook every day],” states Leanne M., a junior at Keystone who has since moved on to Tumblr, her new top distraction.   “[But] if I give myself a time limit, it usually keeps me concentrated.  I actually keep Facebook open because sometimes the work gets overwhelming and [I like to] take a five-minute Facebook break.”  As for Maria, Facebook was starting to dig into her schoolwork so much that she finally decided to take the matter into her own hands.  “I took the initiative and searched up a block. [I found] Leechblock, it’s a Firefox add-on and you can set it to block [any website] for as long as you choose.  So that recently got rid of all my distractions.” While I did discover that parents can be a huge distraction, in some cases, they are helpful.  “When I lack motivation, I always look for an incentive to work, like college, or impressing my parents,” writes Alex Ashraf, a sophomore from Toronto.  “My parents help keep me on track... [They basically] threaten me,” she adds jokingly.  Similarly, Leanne’s parents are also involved in her schoolwork.  “They ask me every night how much work I do, and I don’t want to disappoint them,” she says.  And if your parents aren’t very involved in your schoolwork, study buddies are also a great solution to help keep you motivated.  “Working with a buddy is important,” states Maria.  “I don’t mean cheating, or giving answers, but motivating each other – almost like a competition.” So what can the struggling student do to get back on track?  Some common pointers include choosing the right place to study, setting goals, and rewarding yourself.  “I want to graduate early,” explains Maria, “so I can focus on preparing for college.  I want to know I’ve done the best I could.”  And while it’s possible to fall behind in Keystone, it’s just as easy to give yourself a little push and get ahead of schedule.  Clean up your room, or tidy up your study area so that it’s attractive and you want to spend time there.  Set your alarm to wake you up early so that you get a good start to your day.  Give yourself an achievable goal, such as finishing a lesson by the end of the month.  Ask your parents or a sibling to pop in once in a while and make sure you’re studying – and while you’re at it, remind them not to distract you too much.  If you get sidetracked by websites like Facebook or Youtube, download Leechblock – I tried it, and it works!  Think of how proud you’ll be when you’ll be able to say, “I worked my hardest this week.”  And when you reach the light at the end of the tunnel, make sure to reward yourself with something pleasant, such as an afternoon of catching up on all the TV shows you missed, or a special outing with the friends you’ve been neglecting. Most of all, it’s important to remember that even if you’re dreadfully behind and you feel like you’ll never get out of your rut, it’s not the end of the world.  Start with baby steps.  Give yourself a little shove, or find a study buddy to help you along the way, and you’ll see how much easier things can get once you’re motivated and focused.  If Maria and I could do it, and we’re the queens of procrastination, so can you.  After all, we only go through high school once, and we should make the best of it – especially since we go to the best high school ever!

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