Work Ethics for Seniors in High School

When it comes to the work ethics for seniors in high school, it can tend to be underachieving and that is typical because it is their last year of high school. They are faced with many temptations to not try and many tend to get sucked into that hole.

The first thing we need to understand is why this happens before we discuss what steps to take. There are multiple reasons why some seniors don’t have a strong work ethic. It is the student’s job to try to figure out how to instill the mindset in themself if they don’t have it already.

Why Certain Seniors Don’t Have a Strong Work Ethic

Many of us have heard of the term senioritis and if you have not, it essentially is a word used for seniors in high school or college that have a decreased motivation level when it comes to schoolwork.

There are many reasons why seniors tend to lose motivation when they are embarking on their last year of school and it is understandable but at the same time, these reasons should not dictate how seniors should finish their last year

1. They are Approaching the Finish Line

The first and most common reason why the work ethics of seniors decrease would be that they are approaching the finish line when it comes to high school.

They have gone through 3 grueling years and when they know that they are about to graduate, they tend to take their foot off the gas and cruise through the year without putting in much effort. 

2. College Acceptance 

Another big factor that plays into why the work ethic takes a dip is because by then, they have found out what college they will be attending and can finally take a breather when it comes to educational excellence. 

They have received the “acceptance” from the college they want to attend and think that they are done with the work they have to do in high school. That is the wrong way to think about it because even if someone gets accepted, they can get the acceptance revoked from the college if their grades slip. 

There have been many cases where students get accepted to a school but have it revoked because they did not put in any effort during the last couple of months and they ended up failing a class. 

3. Senior Activities

One of the most anticipated things that seniors look forward to are the senior activities. Activities such as prom or senior grad night is something that is on the mind of almost every senior.

They get excited and forget that school is still going on and that they still have assignments, projects, and tests they have to complete.

Something to keep in mind is that many seniors tend to forget that if they are failing any class, they are usually restricted from attending some senior activities. So not only does the senior get a bad grade, but they also can’t have fun and enjoy some of the activities provided. 

4. They are Not Going to College

For all the seniors that decide they don’t want to further their education and head to college, they are usually the ones that slack off the most. 

They already know that they don’t need to try anymore and they will just get a job right out of high school. These students are the hardest to reach because they already put in their mind that they are not going to try.

Trying to instill a mindset in them to try in their last year of high school can be hard. 

How to Build Strong Work Ethics for High School Seniors

There are ways to build strong work ethics in high school and the good thing is, it can apply to everything else in life. Having a strong work ethic will serve you well because it puts you in a position where you are slacking or falling behind. 

There are some key components to build a work ethic suitable for a high school student about to go on to their senior year. With that being said, here are a few ways to do so. 

1. Strong Mindset

When it comes to building a strong work ethic, the first thing that an individual should try to have is a strong mindset because at the end of the day, any action we do requires a certain type of mindset.

When a senior is starting their first day of school, they should go in with a mindset they had the previous years which is to try and get the best results possible in everything they do.

The way they were trying hard the first 3 years should be the same way they try when it comes to the last year. 

A way you can picture this would be if someone is running a marathon and they see the finish line in sight but they start decreasing their effort. The marathon runner doesn’t push towards the last part of the run and they end up getting a worse time than they wanted and end up not achieving their goal.

This is the same thing that happens to a high school student, they see the end in sight so their mindset changes and now they think they can slow down. 

A senior with a strong work ethic would see the finish line and push even harder so they can finish off the year with a bang. 

2. Set Goals

The first thing a senior should do to build a strong work ethic would be to set goals. It would guide them and give them objectives to aim for when going through the year.

Things like getting an “A” on every project or passing every test with at least a “B”. Having goals like these will make the senior be more excited to take on the challenge and achieve that goal.

Writing down your goals is a great way to build up a strong work ethic.

If you are a parent trying to teach work ethics to a senior in high school, offer an incentive for them to motivate them. Many people are motivated to do something if they are being rewarded.

People go to work because they know they will get paid. Therefore, when the seniors know that they will get an incentive, their mindset will switch and they will try to achieve the goal so they can get the reward.

3. Think Ahead

Another way a senior can start building up a hard work ethic in them would be to think of the future. Whether you are going to a prestigious university or working a job right after graduation, you will become an adult that will have responsivities to take care of.

It is tough for high school seniors to transition into the real world if they are not ready for the work that comes with it. If the senior is planning to go to college and start working a job, they will have to be prepared with the pressure that will come with it so to be prepared, seniors in high school should start thinking ahead and that will cause them to start building a strong work ethic.

If a senior is not taking steps to build a strong work ethic for the future, they can be faced with their parents kicking them out of the house and that is the last thing that anyone wants.

Another way you can develop a strong work ethic as a high school senior is to create a vision board. If you don’t know what a vision board is, it is essentially a poster board that you create that will help you stay focused on the goals that you have in life.

What you will do is print or draw the goals that you want to achieve and add them to your poster board. You will then hang up the poster in a place where you do most of your work like in your room next to your desk. By having your goals broadcasted to you, it will help motivate you constantly and keep you on track towards maintaining a strong work ethic.

Final Thought 

Having a strong work ethic during your senior year in high school can be hard because of multiple reasons. Things like loss of motivation to finish strong or knowing you got accepted to a college are some of the main factors.

A way to combat this would be to go into the year with a strong mindset and to set goals throughout the year. For more insights on building a strong work ethic, click here.

It can be hard at first but with the proper steps, any senior can achieve success through a great work ethic.