Lately, I’ve thought a lot about a quote from my favorite movie, Real Genius. Real Genius is an 80’s comedy following a group of above-average intelligence college students whose chief goal is to make a 5-megawatt laser. In the first meeting between freshman Mitch Taylor and senior Chris Knight, the two main characters, Chris shows Mitch his latest invention and claims, “It’s yet another in a long series of diversions in an attempt to avoid responsibility.” It’s a line that always sticks out to me, despite how easily it can be overlooked in the comedy of the situation. With the feelings of senioritis creeping up on me, I understand completely where Knight is coming from.

Senioritis is no joke. I understand now that the general laziness that I experienced my sophomore and junior years were nothing compared to the monster that is senioritis. This year, and I sincerely apologize to any of my teachers reading this, I tend to make excuses as to why I should take a nap, rather than writing that three page essay or solving those vexing 15 problems. I knew before that I liked to procrastinate, but it’s never hit me quite so hard.

While my tendency to procrastinate has never been ideal, I’m starting to realize that if I keep it up, I may never figure out how to become a productive human being. I already know through my two college classes that the workload I will have in college will be much harder to keep up with than what I’ve experienced in high school. In order to keep the merit scholarships I’ve been offered, next year I will have to keep my college schoolwork at an A and B level. While it’s not impossible, I know if I keep up my habit of procrastination, it will be a lot harder to keep those grades.

Slowly, I’m starting to fix those bad habits, starting with my College Algebra class. Over the last week, I’ve forced myself to sit down and actually do my math homework. It’s something I dread each night, but feel much better after having actually done. For the first time I can remember since ninth grade, my math grade is at an A, when normally I fight to stay at a B on the subject. I couldn’t be more proud of myself for getting done what I needed to. It’s helped me realize that I want to beat my senioritis and end the year strong, with only one B, if even that.

It may mean I have less time to nap or watch Real Genius, but I keep reminding myself that I’ll benefit from it in the long run. I’m learning that it doesn’t take a genius to get good grades, just a little motivation.