Whether you’re a freshman lost in the hallway, or a senior with a bad case of senioritis, it can be impossible to focus. As fellow struggling classmates, we’ve come up with foolproof ways to stay on top of this year.

• Stay off Instagram reels

We know it’s tempting to lean into brain rot, but unlock your inner sigma and GYATT off of Instagram. We know you want to see the next in the “Name in the Bible” series, but being part of the SYMPHONYYYY isn’t worth getting an F, so put down that phone and pick up a pencil. 

• Bring back fidget spinners

Forget pop-its, it’s time to bring back a classic: fidget spinners. We’re manifesting their comeback because no other toy brings as much joy to doing your work. You can also trade with your friends to show off your cool designs.

• Film time lapses

The other two strategies are OGs, tried and true. We want to add a little bit of funk and bring you a new approach. Timelapses. They keep you off your phone and give you a funny sped-up version of you doing work, perfect to post on the spamski. See how fast those fingers type when your phone isn’t a distraction.

• Listen to niche playlists

Our final option is an entire underground taste in music. Welcome to niche playlists, where all it takes is a good search on Spotify and a little bit of desperation, and you’ve found the perfect playlist to match your feels. We recommend trying “POV: you feel like a tribute in the Hunger Games after failing your AP Precalc quiz” or “Born to be an alpha running in the open fields howling at the moon, forced to go to school.”

We hope these strategies will be of use during this school year. Our final words of wisdom are: there are less than 180 days left of school! •