Uni High Gargoyle Staff Blog

For me, third quarter is not a pleasant time. For whatever reasons, I find myself stunningly unmotivated and apathetic, while endless distractions drift invitingly across my path. (Incidentally, I have discovered that visiting Wikipedia is probably the single worst mistake that a homework-laden student can make.) I find that I can listen to music while doing certain types of homework, especially math and chemistry, without serious impediment, but trying to memorize flowcharts or do Japanese workbook pages with music in the background is as counterproductive as writing a novel in the sand at low tide.

From personal experience, I consider long-distance running to be a suitable analogy to the school year. In the first quarter, I’m basically coasting on adrenaline, with plenty of energy to spare.

As shown in the graph, while my energy level (green line) drops, the repetitiveness and general apathy (blue line) increases. Since energy starts out considerably higher, there’s a happy time while I am both energetic and positive-minded. However, sometime in the second quarter those two trends intersect, and after that (at least until a second wind kicks in) I am both running out of steam and beginning to lose hope that the end will ever come. The passing of the halfway mark (with the added relief of winter break) is an enjoyable event (the dip in the blue line) that offsets the apathy, so I don’t truly start feeling the negative effects until the third.

During that third quarter, tasks that once seemed trivial become considerable undertakings. I want to slow my pace a bit, but I know that do so is only digging my grave a bit deeper. It feels like running on a treadmill set at a fixed speed - to falter is to get swept away.

In the last quarter, though, the light at the end of the tunnel suddenly seems brighter and more attainable than ever before. Even though those last few tests/laps are the most taxing at surface level, mentally I’m stronger than ever.

So while I’m struggling through these dark winter days, at least I have something to look forward to.

—Andrew Lovdahl

NOTE: If this blog did not leave you satisfied, blame the industry for making such blatantly distracting music.