As the spring semester at St. Joe is in full swing, students are doing their best to follow the goals they plan to achieve for the rest of the school year. These goals, while not earth-shattering, make an impact on each student’s academic career. Every student has things that are “out” for 2024 at St. Joe, as well as things that are “in.” The “ins and outs” for the spring semester will hopefully bring students more peace of mind and success as they finish the school year.
To start their cleanse for the new year, some students have picked things they want to leave behind in 2024 to start the spring semester off on a good note. All the toxic, bad habits that hinder students from reaching their fullest potential at St. Joe are hopefully working themselves out to form new, good habits for the rest of the school year.
One example of an “out” for the rest of the school year at St. Joe is procrastination. Many students struggle with putting off their work until the night before it is due, which makes them feel a lot of stress and anxiety about the work they are about to turn in. Therefore, the new goal for some students is to try to get homework completed the day it is assigned or soon after, even if it is optional.
Junior Paige Evans struggles with procrastination when completing her homework.
“Going into the new year, I’ve made it my goal to set aside time specifically for doing my homework, so that I get into the routine of things ahead of time instead of waiting until the last minute,” she said.
Another popular “out” for the new semester is going to bed late. Many students don’t start their homework until late at night and, therefore, don’t sleep until late at night or early in the morning. Students sometimes get only 4-6 hours of sleep a night when, in reality, they should be getting at least 7 or 8 hours of sleep.
Junior Kate Burns plans on breaking her bad habit of going to bed late this year.
“It’s hard to go to bed early when you don’t start your homework until later at night, so this year, I hope to break that trend and start my homework right after school,” she said.
Along with getting rid of old habits, students plan on starting new ones to help their journey at St. Joe. Starting new things that will improve education is imperative to a great rest of the school year, so many students have taken it upon themselves to list out new things that should be brought “in” to their improved lives.
One thing students are bringing into the new year is drinking more water. Even though some carry a water bottle at school, they might only drink a little from it or not drink any water after school, making many feel dehydrated. This can lead to headaches, muscle aches, or even feeling drowsy throughout the day. Therefore, drinking enough water throughout the day is vital to fuel one’s body in all the tasks they complete, especially school.
Another “in” some students are striving towards is becoming more organized. Whether it be in their lockers, planners, backpacks, or binders, reorganizing the spaces where students are most accustomed to seeing daily can help with their mindset and other factors contributing to their academic performance. Even small steps, such as removing loose papers in one’s backpack, can affect a student’s mind, making it more transparent.
No matter what any student wants to bring in or out to 2024, it will help them achieve a goal or improve their success at St. Joe more fully. From going to bed earlier to drinking more water, getting rid of bad habits to make room for new ones will certainly make 2024 a better year.
