Ah, the end of senior year–the time when college acceptances are rolling in and checks are sent out to secure spots for the upcoming semester. Without a doubt, this period is one of the most thrilling and stress-free times in a student’s high school career. Many begin to feel that all of their hard work – the sleepless nights spent studying, completing projects, and grinding out school work – has finally paid off, though several months are yet to come. “After I got my first college acceptance, it became harder to focus on my schoolwork because it seemed almost pointless after a part of my future was already completed,” senior Caitlin Liu remarked. Though classes carry on, many seniors already have one foot out the door. All of these symptoms describe an age-old condition amongst twelfth grade teenagers everywhere: senioritis.
Senioritis – a lack of motivation for seniors surrounding anything school-related – doesn’t just affect the second semester of senior year; it often starts as early as the summer before the school year even begins. When the Common App opens on August 1, many upcoming seniors dedicate all of their free time to applying to colleges. They begin writing countless supplementals, filling out personal information, and creating supplemental essays unique to them. The entire college process as a whole takes up a majority of the seniors’ lives, both at home and at school. Time that would usually be spent doing homework or diligently preparing for exams is now devoted to the lengthy college process. Senior Ana Juarez, who applied to schools as an architecture major, shared her struggles during the application process: “I constantly had to submit summaries about my artwork, and I barely had time to focus on anything but scholarships and applications.”
That said, being a senior, particularly during the second semester of high school, can bring a barrage of emotions that contribute to this senioritis phenomenon. Many life choices are soon to be made: choosing a college or trade school, potential career, or another life path can cause a lot of anxiety. However, for these things to actually come into fruition, seniors must realize that they need to take the rest of the school year seriously. With or without senioritis, all end-of-year report cards are sent to colleges, and offers of admission are conditional. Colleges do indeed care if you suddenly start to fail tests and classes; they care if you withdraw yourself from after-school activities after you are accepted. These actions may even serve as a red flag that signals to colleges that you have stopped trying altogether. Senioritis will only hinder a student’s potential.
All in all, as tempting as it is to let go of all of the deadlines, exams, and grades, seniors should still keep up with their schoolwork. “My senioritis is pretty bad, but I get reminded often that a new chapter of my life is about to start soon, and that helps me manage my lack of motivation towards school,” Juarez explained. Seniors, the end may be on the horizon, but remember that it has always been a marathon, not a sprint.
