It’s a new semester. New schedule, new classes, new teachers, new classmates, new surroundings. It’s a fresh start. Time to polish up your GPA this semester, right? On your way home from school, you’re thinking about the long list of things you have to do before this week ends: finish that long essay for English class, finish that project for American History, finish a presentation for Biology, and the list goes on and on. But, before you know it, the moment you open your front door and step inside, you have lost all desire and eagerness to get anything done. The end result? Your essay, project, and presentation all stay completely and wholly… unfinished.

Does this situation sound familiar to you? You lack a little…what’s the word?

Motivation. According to the Oxford Dictionaries, motivation is the “desire or willingness to do something; enthusiasm.” If you are currently experiencing this, you are certainly not alone. 40% of high school students are chronically disengaged from school, suggests a 2003 National Research Council report. This is terribly concerning, as motivation provides the drive for one to accomplish goals, maintain responsibilities, and solve problems.

Finding motivation may ensure you success in high school as well as the future.