By Matthew Shear
Even some of the top students sometimes struggle with procrastination. Junior Katie Shue, who currently ranks No. 1 in her class, said this is how she fixes it.
“I will start to procrastinate especially on the weekends, and what pushes me through that is I think about what I would be doing if I wasn’t doing homework,” Katie said. “I would just be scrolling on my phone or something like that so I’m just like that’s a waste of time.”
Once she realizes that, it’s easier for her to go ahead and get her work done.
Katie also has a tip for you on your school work.
“I think the main thing is just to get started on work, that’s probably the hardest part,” Katie said.
Senior Corbin King, who is No. 2 in the senior class rankings, also had something to say here.
“Just stay on top of it. Don’t just let it pile up and say you’re going to do it later because you’re never going to want to do it later,” he said. “Just get it done when you can and just prioritize getting it done.”
Sophomore Grier Backus, who is No. 1 in her class rankings, had this to say about how she gets her work done and what she thinks about when doing her school work.
“Usually I try to do it throughout the day if I have extra free time,” Grier said. “Usually I don’t have time after school because I have practice, but right after I get home I do it. If I have an SRT then I leave a little bit for that.”
You may not like homework but this is how some of the top students here think about it.
“I hate homework,” Grier said. “Especially I don’t think a teacher should teach the whole class and just hand a piece of paper out at the end of the period. I think there should be at least 10 minutes to work on homework or at least to start it in the class, because let’s be honest we have lives outside of school.”
She explained there are many student athletes at school. Homework when most teachers give it can affect the lives we live outside of school because some students have jobs and do sports. It causes a cycle that increases stress due to going to school, then your sport or job, going home then doing homework till you go to sleep and repeating it over each day.
“It just stresses kids out,” Grier said. “I understand if a class is misbehaving or there is just a little bit of homework left at the end of class, but some teachers will give out like full packets at the end of class, and it’s due the next day, and I don’t think that is right.”
For students who have a lot of work to do, keeping a schedule may help. Katie does this.
“I have a study hall so I have time to get homework done then, and I work on it after dinner till however long it takes me,” she said.