Losing Work Ethics

<p>Hi there! I'm new, so I'm sorry if this isn't in the right section.</p>

<p>TL;DR By my own effort, I want to become a hard worker again.</p>

<p>I just finished high school freshman year and am currently on summer break. While my grades were probably better than most people, I myself wasn't satisfied; I knew that I could do sooo much better. My parents are being somewhat lenient, but while I feel the need to work harder, I don't know where to start.</p>

<p>I started to slack off during around 8th grade. I began losing interest in my classes; they weren't unbelievably easy, but they weren't subjects I'd actually like to study. As I lost interest, I began to try and find "other things" to do instead. It's not because of that unrestricted, made-for-video-games, beckoning PC that I have in my room; I only played during weekends. During the weekdays, I'd spend more time just sitting at my desk staring at a blank page, or on my bed taking a light nap rather than doing schoolwork. Late at night, I'd remember the importance of schoolwork. I'd go to sleep even after midnight, finishing my homework with horribly thought-out answers at the last minute. I won't remember a thing; and somehow, I've wasted roughly five to eight hours a day this way.</p>

<p>With my peers around me constantly talking about things like SAT, extra-curriculars, and that stupidly hard Chem course next year, school has suddenly become more important for me. Like almost everyone on this forum, I want to enter a reputable college, get a good job, find a major, etc. I'd ask my parents to watch me over, but I don't have the courage nor do I think they have the time to babysit me in our current family crisis. Those phrases you hear almost everyday, like, "Try, try, try harder," "Set goals and restrictions," or "If you work hard now, you can have a (sort of)good life in the future" won't make me lift a finger anymore. Right now, I'm just hoping and waiting for some sort of epiphany to hit me, and like magic I'll be working at 100% again, or something close to that. I know it won't happen.</p>

<p>I'm not sure how to tell you exactly what I'm looking for. I'm sure it's not ADD. I just want some way to start my engine again. Whether it's a cliche, but well-put post, a set of directions or instructions, or some touching story, I need something that WORKS and will set me on the right track. Thanks in advance.</p>

<p>TL;DR By my own effort, I want to become a hard worker again.</p>

<p>What about depression? Can you talk to anyone about this? Your physician, clergy person, or a teacher/counselor from your school that is available in the summer?</p>