In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to fall into the traps of distractions and laziness. These habits may seem harmless, but they are quietly sabotaging our education. Taking breaks and relaxing every once in a while are important to succeeding academically, but this can easily turn into laziness and allow for distractions like our phones to cut into our study time. Allowing this to happen doesn’t just affect your grades; it could easily affect your life even after you graduate.
Nationwide, schools have seen a steep drop in grades after the pandemic. A lot of this is due to the fact that we have become more lazy and susceptible to distractions in the school environment. When we prioritize scrolling through social media or binge-watching shows over studying, our academic performances suffer. It’s a simple cause and effect that many of us ignore until it’s too late.
People argue that downtime and relaxation are necessary to keep stress in check and prevent us from getting burned out, and they’re right, but only to an extent. When relaxation crosses the line into laziness, it’s becomes a real problem that needs to be addressed. Taking breaks should help you recharge and move onto the next task, not replace those tasks altogether. When laziness takes over, grades take a nosedive because downtime has been prioritized over getting work done on time or studying for upcoming tests.
It’s not just grades that take a hit, opportunities do as well. A lower GPA can mean less scholarships, lower chances at college admissions and worse job opportunities. Numerous scholarships require students to maintain a certain GPA or above. Colleges, whether they’re a four-year or a trade school, look at your high school transcript to see whether you should be accepted or not and how much financial aid you’ll get. Jobs can request your high school transcript as well, and a lower GPA might mean they pass you over in hiring. Falling behind because of laziness closes doors to your future.
It’s time to refocus. Start by managing time better, setting clear study goals, and giving your education priority over your relaxation. Studying for a few minutes after school, getting homework done on time, or any other method of being responsible academically is extremely important. Being responsible for your own learning on your own time is far from easy, but it’s an adult skill necessary for success in school and outside of school.
Laziness and distractions are roadblocks on the path to success. Students should lock in their focus now, or they could risk falling behind when it matters the most. They should take control and make their futures count. They should value the time they have, so they can make a difference in their future.
