As of writing this article, I have six days of school left. That sounds crazy but, besides Newspaper and Spanish 5, all my classes are APs and meaning that they’re done being taught and all I have left are my AP exams. Personally, I plan on not attending class during AP exam week and only coming in when I have an exam (I’m not promoting doing this just sharing my plans). Essentially this all means that next Thursday is my last real day of school with Friday being senior skip day. This realization hit me like a freight train this week and I realized that I had a lot to do before then. So to help you remember all the tasks and to-dos in the craziness of prom, summer, and exams, I’m making a checklist for before summer.

Volunteer Hours

Forgetting to submit my volunteer hours is a mistake I have made in the past, however I would highly suggest not doing this. Turning in volunteer hours is surprisingly easy, you just fill out the work, write a paragraph on the back about what you gained from your experience, and turn it in. But for some reason I always procrastinate doing this. I recommend biting the bullet, dedicating a study hall to this and turning in all your hours. This is especially important for seniors because hours are due May 1st which is fast approaching. 

Clean up that PowerSchool

Once the school year wraps up, it’s very hard to change submitted grades and report cards. Check your PowerSchool for missing assignments and tests that need to be made up to avoid any June 1st stress. I would recommend doing this as soon as possible to avoid being a nuisance to teachers. 

Textbook Return 

Remember those big heavy books that you got in August and never opened? Those are textbooks that need to be returned by the end of the year to avoid fines of 70$ or more. Hopefully you haven’t lost any (I would recommend storing them under your bed or trunk for safekeeping). I’m not sure when textbook drop off is for each grade but ask your homeroom teacher and don’t forget to bring them in.

Say Goodbye

This one is especially for seniors. Currently I’m counting down the six days of full school I have left and could not be more excited to graduate but I think it’s important to take a second to slow down and say goodbye. A lot of my classmates I’ve been with for four years and these days will be the last that we’re all together. That’s not exactly a bad thing but it’s a little sad. So while I know we are ready to get out and be at the beach don’t forget to say bye to your peers, teachers, and everything else that makes this school special. 

As classes come to an end, exams start approaching, and summer becomes even more enticing, I hope this checklist is helpful to those who feel a little overwhelmed with the year coming to a close. Use it well and have a great last month!