As an extrovert in an online school for the past three years, I’ve faced my share of monotony. It can be easy to lose motivation when you’re in a constant cycle of waking up, sitting at your study space, turning on your laptop, and reading lesson after lesson until you’re finished. Learning can become pretty dull after a while, especially if you’re like me and need to get out and be around other people, to keep from going crazy.

Nevertheless, for the first couple years of my online school experience, my job at my church and involvement in the performing arts was all the social interaction I really needed to keep me going each day. Now, in my senior year, I quickly discovered that that wasn’t going to be enough. I personally have always loved learning and was confident that I would never get “senioritis”. I thought that senioritis was just a myth made up by teachers to trick students into working even harder. But, sure enough, when this year rolled around I was hit with a wave of “I don’t care” and “when’s this year going to be over with”. That’s right, senioritis turned out to be a real thing, and I needed to figure out how to cure it – and fast. While there is no one-size-fits-all cure to senioritis, and no definite way to get rid of it for good, I have found a couple things that have helped me enjoy my last year of high school a little bit more. These tips aren’t just for seniors either; it might be called senioritis, but a lack of motivation can hit anyone at any time.

Number one: Take Breaks

There’s no use plowing through your course work when your brain is too tired to function. It’s okay to take short breaks in between lessons to refresh your mind. It may even take you longer to finish your work if you don’t take breaks because you’ll have a harder time concentrating and being productive. It might even help you be motivated if you turn your breaks into rewards. Allow yourself to take a 10-minute break doing something you enjoy doing, like Snapchatting or drawing, after completing a lesson. Or, you could even watch an episode of your favorite show, after finishing a big project. Keep in mind that taking a break does not mean binge watching the first season of Stranger Things on Netflix (I may or may not know this from personal experience). Make sure your breaks are planned out and are short and sweet. Keep yourself on a strict schedule with your breaks and course work to make sure you aren’t getting behind. The point of taking a break is to rejuvenate yourself, so that you can be more productive, not to avoid projects you don’t like.

Number two: Change it up

At iUniversity Prep, your entire education is available to you on your laptop, so take advantage of that opportunity. Doing school at a desk in your house might start out all fine and dandy, but after a while, it can start to feel like you’re under house arrest. There are tons of places with free wifi to do school at, and a change of scenery might help spice up your life a little. I’ve done school anywhere from nearby coffee joints, my church, and even my backyard. One reason you might be struggling to stay engaged in class is because of a lack of vitamin D. Some days when I find myself feeling exhausted and bored with school, all it takes is a step outside. I’m not much of an outdoor person, but I’ve got to admit, sometimes sunshine is the best medicine. Changing up where I did my school work has helped me fight cabin fever and even made my life a little more interesting (especially when there’s coffee! Hello Kindred Coffee Co.).

Number three: Get Involved

Finally, get involved! Join study groups, attend iUPrep events, go to tutorials, do school at a friend’s house, or spend time getting to know other students. I’ve found that I complete more work when I plan study dates with other friends who are also online students. But, getting involved doesn’t just mean you have to meet classmates in person if that’s not something you’re interested in doing (although it’s nice to be able to put a face to a name in the chat box). iUniversity Prep also has tons of different online clubs that you can partake in, some that don’t even take up too much of your time (iHoot being one of them. *wink* *wink*). It might be easier to feel invested in your school work when you become invested in the school itself, and its students and teachers as well.

Schooling doesn’t have to be boring, and senioritis doesn’t have to take over your learning experience. You can use these tips to help you get through (and even, dare I say, enjoy) the year. If these tips don’t help you, start taking note of how you learn and what helps you be the most productive, and put what you learn about yourself to good use. The more you learn about yourself, the easier it will be to figure out how to make the most out of your school year.