The 2025-2026 school year is coming to a close. With that, many students are experiencing changes in focus, workloads and motivation, both positive and negative. For many students, the beginning of the school year brings high ambitions and goals.
“It’s definitely easier at the beginning because that’s when [my] activities don’t really start,” Sydney Roethler (she/her), 10, said. “As we get further in, the more activities that are going on and the more burnt out I get.”
Natalie Pilkey (she/her), 11, has also noticed fluctuations in her personal motivation throughout the year.
“I felt very motivated up until about winter break,” Pilkey said. “Right [around] winter break, I was ready to be done, and I was ready for summer.”
According to Pilkey, recent weather has played a significant role in her attitude towards school.
“I like [it] when the teachers take us on walks as a reward,” Pilkey said. “I’m more motivated to do my work then and [I am] honestly just happier because it’s nice outside.”
Stella Bair (she/her), 9, also credited varying weather for its effects on the overall atmosphere of the school.
“When it’s gray outside and the trees are dead, everything feels so much harder,” Bair said. “When the grass starts to get green again and all the trees start growing leaves, it just feels like you gain hope.”
According to Bair, who recalled experiencing a similar ‘winter slump’ as Pilkey, the midst of the school year typically brings lower ambition levels for students. Recently, however, Bair feels this slump is ending.
“I feel like towards the end of the school year, I start getting motivation back,” Bair said.
However, the end of the school year can also have negative effects on students. Oftentimes, with the conclusion of Advanced Placement (AP) exam season, many students may find school to be of less importance. This can be the result of the stress surrounding AP testing or the class itself winding down.
“I’d say based on past experiences after the AP tests, nothing really feels like it matters anymore,” Pilkey said. “I think everyone just [uses] their brain power.”
Bair has observed similar attitudes in her classes, where a lack of drive or focus is apparent in the final few weeks.
“I feel like a lot of people’s grades slip around the end of the year,” Bair said.
Roethler believes that different workloads and classes can contribute to different levels of effort observed in students nearing summer.
“Some people are more motivated and some people aren’t,” Roethler said. “It just depends on what type of classes they’re in and who their teachers are.”
Overall, the end of the school year can have both positive and negative impacts on motivation, depending on the student and their involvement.
