Senioritis is undeniable

by Natalie Wilcox

Any time the word senioritis is mentioned in front of a teacher, an automatic eye-roll follows. Just today, I heard a teacher say, “Well I’ve been working 20 some years and I haven’t stopped trying or caring less.” I mean, it’s a fair point, but their circumstances are far different. 

The main goal of high school is to prepare for college and future success. The first three years require hard work to earn good grades and get involved in extracurriculars, all efforts which lead to acceptance letters from colleges. And we have done exactly that; overloaded our schedule with rigorous courses, got involved with numerous sports, clubs, and other activities, all of which are extremely time-consuming. But hey, it will look good on our college applications! Well, we did it. I have almost all of my acceptance letters from the colleges I applied to. I met my goal. So now what? I mean, I literally could’ve graduated after junior year because I earned the required credits to do so. I sit in my classes and think about how futile it is. Teachers must admit to the logic behind mentally checking out of school at this point in the year.   

Not to mention, we’re all burned out. Junior year is stressed as the most important and difficult year for college applications. Mine sure was, with AP Calculus, AP Biology, IB Spanish, and on top of all of that, studying for the SAT. Then, we dove straight into college and scholarship applications, which meant writing essay after essay. After all of that, I accomplished my end goal. All I’m waiting for is the clock to run out. So teachers can’t blame us for senioritis. It is not the same as their comparison of “Well I’ve been working 20 some years and I haven’t tried less.” Their goal of teaching is to educate students and impact their lives. There isn’t a mark where that goal is accomplished. I came to school to receive a meaningful education that prepares me for success in my future, and to help me get into college. Well, I did just that. Took difficult classes that challenged me, got involved in extracurricular activities, all to get into good colleges.  After all that work, I’m ready for the next step.

Now, I’m not saying it’s ok to skip class all the time or to completely stop trying and earning D’s and F’s. For those who have truly put in the work the past years, it’s not the end of the world to get a few B’s and C’s. Senioritis is real, not simply laziness. It’s a reaction to being stuck in a situation where goals have been accomplished and standards have been met. It’s a product of fatigue.

Senioritis is a weak excuse

by Anna Krupka

There are four years of high school. Not three. Not three and a half. Four. It’s not a surprise when we get to senior year that we still have to do work and attend class.

Strong students are starting to feel fatigued, leading them to miss class or slack on studying. Sure, they might have been accepted to their dream school. So what?! Does a paper acceptance letter electronically signed by some old guy give the go-ahead to stop trying? Is that really why we’re here? What about learning? Next year, we are going to pay for everything we learn. Right now is the opportunity to increase our skills for FREE, so we must reevaluate why we are here in the first place. Obviously, a good transcript is important, but high school teaches us a good work ethic, study skills, and ways to set ourselves up for success. Each “A” is a product of hours taking notes, doing homework, and reviewing for tests. 

For most, high school is just a stepping stone, not the final destination. So when it comes to setting ourselves up for success, skipping class and barely passing tests is a hindrance. We must work diligently to maintain what we’ve already built upon, even if it’s not exactly exciting. It’s understandable to feel unmotivated, but we’d be naive to think 30 years in the same career won’t bring similar feelings and challenges. 

The word “senioritis” was created by someone justifying laziness. There are students in other grades with missing work but we don’t call it “freshmanitis.” Some might consider it straight carelessness. So why in senior year, do we get to decide that a poor work ethic is justified? I understand that lack of motivation at some points, especially in the winter. I rarely want to get out of my bed let alone learn how to calculate confidence intervals, yet I know I have to come. I have to get work done. 

There is a common misconception that senior year is a breeze, likely because we watched the grades above us fall into the same trap. Students think they’ll be able to take “blow-off” classes and glide through with ease. 

Then I think about my friends, almost all of whom have at least one AP or IB class. There isn’t room for giving up. If I score well on the AP Spanish Exam, for example, I could receive several classes worth of credit at the college level, and believe me, I need to save as much as possible.

    It’s just not true to say that senior year doesn’t matter. So much is still on the line financially. There are opportunities to retake standardized tests and thousands of scholarships available to apply to. Everything that we do senior year can change the trajectory for the next four. It could be the difference between years of debt. Like me and many seniors I know, we won’t be relaxing until mid-may.
Just a short three months and I will never be required to step foot in this school again. Until then, I have classes to attend, quizzes to take, and preparation to do. So seniors: what’s important to you? These next few months will fly by. If heading into next year strongly is of importance, check your motivation levels. May 20 is right around the corner, but until then, let’s learn. Let’s maintain the habits we’ve created. Let’s save some money and pass our AP tests. If you desire a successful future, make the decision to endure the fatigue.