After months of waiting anxiously for 4th quarter to arrive, we have finally made it – through the grueling first quarter, second quarter exhaustion, sporadic snow days, and third quarter stress as well as spring break. With only one week left until the official end of third quarter and the beginning of the fourth, many students have come to admit that they are burned out by this point in the year. After experiencing many ups and downs throughout this school year, here is a compiled list of tips suggested by Oakton students to help you survive 4th quarter:

Maintain your planner/bullet journal

Although it is 4th quarter and you have mastered keeping a mental list of all the homework you have to do, keeping a physical planner or bullet journal really does help to increase motivation and productivity in students. Suggested by Gigi Pham-Ton, 10, she says, “I used to hate the idea of keeping an actual planner. After I got my bullet journal, though, I just feel a lot more productive and even if I do not get much work done in a day, keeping a record of what I have to do helps me be more responsible.”

Learn when to give yourself a break

Some students are too often guilty of overworking themselves to the point of extensive stress and even worse, breakdowns. Knowing when to give yourself a break is crucial because as humans, we physically need time to rest and recollect ourselves. Whether it is putting off schoolwork for just one day and catching up on your favorite TV shows, or even just spending more time interacting with friends and family, breaks are crucial in student life. 

Explore study spaces

Many students are big procrastinators and recent studies show that the kind of environment that students work in may affect productivity. Once people become accustomed to their settings, they become too relaxed and thus, each time they are in that setting, they associate it with the idea of “relaxing” aka procrastination. Taking the time to explore different areas and find your ideal study spot can be very beneficial. 

Remind yourself of your goals

Although school may be difficult right now, Charitha Vennapusa, 10, advises, to not “focus on the negative thoughts for too long. Whatever you are doing right now might not seem like the best, but students should just treat it like another step towards your goal However, remember there is a difference between getting too caught up in your goals versus simply reminding yourself of them.”