Everyone knows about Sophomore Slump and catching a case of Senioritis, but it does not matter what grade you are in. Anyone can fall prey to the notorious third-quarter slump. The Third Quarter Slump is easy to get trapped in. The third quarter is usually when the schoolwork gets most intense, and you may start to feel suffocated under the pressure. You have already completed a whole semester’s worth of work and with homework seeming to have reached its peak amount for the year, it can be tempting to lose motivation. Here are my specific suggestions to keep up with the academic grind. 

1. Plan out homework and study times. If you know you have a test coming up, look at your schedule after school for the week and plan when you are going to study. With spring sports and the spring musical starting we are busier than ever here at NDP. So, if your teacher tells you that there will be a test on Friday, and you know that your big game is on Thursday, plan around it! I know how tempting it can be to study just the night before an exam but with everything going on you might find yourself going to sleep instead of studying. So, look at everything you have going on at the beginning of the week and choose the days where you are going to study or spend more time on your homework, and that way you can keep up with all your activities more easily.
2. Following that up – prioritize sleep. If you know that you are a person who cannot function without a good 10 hours on the weekends, then don’t schedule two sleepovers in a row! With piles of homework to do once you come home from after-school activities you may end up choosing to sacrifice sleep. But you cannot be doing that every night, especially if you do not allow yourself to catch up on the lost Z’s. Many think that having a good nap after school can solve this problem, but really the goal should be not to need that nap and to go to bed earlier. I know it is super difficult but if you try your best to get the full 8 hours every night, you truly will find it easier to focus on not only your schoolwork but also your sports, clubs, friends, and generally be a happier person. 
3. Here are some specific homework tips that I find helpful and if you are not already doing them, the third quarter is the perfect time to start. Everyone has that one TV show they have seen a million times, so go back and watch it again but in your foreign language that you take! You probably will already know what is going on, so some repetition of this will truly help your listening comprehension. It is okay to turn on the subtitles for that language but try to really listen and not read them and after a couple times you will start to notice a difference in your class. Another tip is that if there is a specific type of information that you usually make flashcards or a Quizlet for, do it in class while your teacher is talking about the subject. I do this with vocab in English class and I have found it particularly helpful because I can ask questions in the moment instead of just having to bring it up again later. It is a huge time saver, and it also helps you stay present in class. This way when you are studying you already have the Quizlet and do not have to go back and try to remember what the teacher said. You may want to just let your teacher know what you are doing so they know you are still engaged. 
4. Make sure to take advantage of moments when you feel calm or relaxed. If you find that being at the lunch table, talking with all your friends, is one of the best parts of your day, do not skip that to catch up on homework. Make sure you still get a chance to do some of your favorite things with your friends even though you are allotting extra time for homework. If you don’t, it may lead to burnout and feeling overwhelmed. Being with my friends allows me to blow off some of my steam and any stresses I have accumulated during the week. It is important to have that space where you can let loose. Maybe a ten-minute phone call before you go to bed with someone you love or a Crumbl cookie review at the end of the week is just what you need to find that extra motivation to keep going. 
5. Another way to blow off steam and get the stress out of your system is exercising. Exercise is important because it helps to bump up the production of your brain’s feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. In addition to this, it will also help you sleep better because it regulates your body temperature (and tires you out) which you need to be able to fall asleep. Try to get at least between 30-60 minutes of exercise a day. I know this can be especially hard if you do not play a sport after school, but you can do this without having to make a huge effort, for example, walking around the neighborhood can be extremely beneficial.
6. Do your best to get outside. With the sun going down so early and so much going on it can be hard to get outside. Sometimes I do not even know it has been raining all day until the end of the day when I am leaving the building. But getting some fresh air will help you clear your mind and give you some perspective. Nature can help decrease your anxiety levels and can help lessen stress and feelings of anger. Even just spending a few minutes in the sun can help drastically. 

I know everything can feel like a lot but remember you are already halfway through the school year and before you know it, high school will be over. So, keep in mind that although you may feel stressed now, it is only temporary. I find it really helps to take a step back and get some perspective. One assignment is not going to affect the outcome of your life and it is important to remember that. We have so many resources at our disposal such as the counseling and wellness departments. I hope some of these tips help you to stay motivated through the third quarter and feel free to reach out to any of our services which we are so lucky to have at NDP if you are feeling overwhelmed. I know it can feel like too much to handle sometimes, but trust in yourself and trust in God that you will get through it. Keep going NDP girls! Remind yourself that you are an academic weapon and so much more. I know you can do it!