A quick glance out the window, and one will see bare trees and their autumn-colored leaves scattered on the ground, a cool wind swirling them together. With the cold weather and fall setting making one’s bed seem even warmer, it is becoming much more tempting to lay in the sheets all day rather than tackling the piles of homework that are tagging along with the season.  

“It is so hard to continue to be motivated when [students] are so close to the end of the semester because it feels so easy to give up. It is important to stay focused through so we can study and do well on finals since this is the last grade of the semester, but [as a] reward we get a long break after,” Emily Ivers, sophomore, said. 

While football games and other extracurricular activities that make the beginning of the semester seem hectic have ended, students should not buy into the illusion that their efforts in school should also stop. This semester slump is plaguing Etowah, despite finals and the first report card being right around the corner. Students should use the crazed energy from the first few months of the school year to stay ahead and not slide into procrastination.  

“After football games end, school spirit and exciting events die down, and the weather gets cold, and it gets darker way earlier in the day, and it causes me to become less productive, as it feels the day goes by faster, and the weather is gloomier. Also, once it gets really cold and darker out is when school really gets serious, and we start to have finals and bigger tests to end our first semester grades, which can be very stressful,” Katie Shay, junior, said. 

The cooler weather is certainly not helping students keep a firm grasp on their motivation. While one may not want to leave the bedsheets, keeping these tips in mind might help in crossing the first semester finish line: try breaking up the work with snacks or a quick nap so there is less chance of getting too overwhelmed or grab a friend, and hold each other accountable to end the year in the best possible shape. Maybe all that one needs is a little caffeine from a Starbucks latte or a Chick-fil-a pit stop.  

“My favorite way to stay motivated during finals is to make sure to pace myself and not procrastinate as well as to form study groups with my friends in order to make sure I am prepared for finals [while] still staying relaxed,” Chris LaGanke, senior, said.  

Even with the heavy burden of finals looming over the semester, students need to find motivation in the little things to power through the last few weeks of 2022.