As students’ minds are still stuck on vacation, school seems as dull and draining as ever. Summer is quickly approaching and it’s quite tempting to simply float through the rest of the school year. However, sticking it out and working hard for the rest of the year, difficult as it may be, is far more rewarding. Nobody wants their grades to drop, and finishing strong will keep them up and keep students happy.

It’s understandably more difficult to focus on schoolwork when the weather is nice and the sun is shining. Students can’t be expected to just throw away all of their free time and deserve an opportunity to get outside, but this doesn’t mean ignoring homework. Simply completing homework in class or right after school will open up far more free time, and it’s a good feeling to get it done; one less thing to worry about can never hurt.

With exams being at the end of the year, this also means that work will often consist more of studying. Once students have learned everything necessary for the year, reviewing can be a lighter workload depending on the subject. Additionally, students who are in a class that they don’t enjoy are nearing the end of it – just over eight more weeks, and they will never have to take that class ever again.

Students aren’t the only ones who are looking forward to summer: Teachers are surely looking forward to a longer break too, and sometimes they “check out” as much just as students. This means easier classes, and those who look forward to doing classwork outside may get the opportunity.

If students simply keep focused on their work and keep themselves from blowing off school, summer will come as quickly as ever. It’s really not that long of a wait, and all that’s required is wrapping up the year with some learning and review. School stress will slowly dissipate, and the freedom of summer is very much within reach.