Senioritis has been around forever, but many debate whether it is real or not. As a staff, we can all agree senioritis and senior burn-out is real. Seniors have so much to look forward to with their last summer, dorm shopping, starting college, etc. It is hard to stay focused when you know, after 12 years, you are almost done.
Senioritis is when seniors start coming to school less and less their senior year. Seniors start to feel a lot less motivated the closer they get to the end. Knowing you are already accepted into the college you want, and being so close to having all of your credits, the rest of the school year starts to feel pointless and tedious.
Many people think it is just seniors being lazy and not wanting to do anything. Many parents just call it slacking off or messing around. However, senioritis, although having a silly name, is very serious. It becomes very hard for many kids to find the motivation and will power to get through the school year.
A lot of teens struggle with mental health and that can really get worse during senior year. It is hard to make it to senior year and it is a struggle for a lot of kids. When many kids finally get there, a lot of good and bad feelings come up. It is hard to come to terms with the fact that such a big chapter of your life is closing. Seniors are leaving their friends and teachers that they have grown up with. While they have accomplished so much to get there, they are also moving into adulthood and gaining tons of responsibilities. A lot of these feelings make it hard for seniors to face school and have motivation to go. When everything is starting to come to an end, it can be hard to face it every day. See everyone that they have known their entire life, knowing that it is all coming to an end is hard. It is hard to face people you have known for years and be reminded of the fact that there are many of them they will never see again.
Motivation can also be hard to gain after being accepted into the college they have been dreaming of. At the point that a senior is accepted into college, they have done everything needed to get in so it starts to feel unnecessary to finish out the year. School can be draining, especially after 12 years. It is easy to lose motivation after working so hard for so long. By the time semester two of senior year hits, everyone is ready to be done.
It is also easy to lose motivation when the only credit needed for senior year is English. Seniors having to go to school for six hours, even though they know only one is a required credit, can weigh hard on them. A lot of the classes start to feel useless and boring. Seniors have four electives, one “senior math” and English. Many kids fill the four electives with easy classes because they want to relax their senior year; however, even those classes become redundant.
Many seniors also turn 18 during their last year, which is a big milestone that comes with more freedom, as well as most seniors having a job by this age. With working and having more freedom, seniors want to be out more and do what they want. They want to work more and make more money. They want to go out and spend the eight hours a day they spend at school doing things like working or enjoying their hobbies.
Overall, senioritis is real and should be recognized.
