Every year, many seniors begin their last year of high school by starting off with AP classes, extracurriculars, sports activities, and so much more while also tackling the dreadful college applications. However, as the second semester rolls in, their motivation takes a nosedive, and suddenly, coming to school isn’t that important. Homework gets ignored, and seniors think frequent absences aren’t that big of a deal. This phenomenon is widely known as senioritis, or the decline in motivation that high school seniors experience as they approach graduation—but is it real? Or is it just an excuse? More importantly, how can students fight back? This phenomenon is a mix of exhaustion, burnout, and excitement about moving on to the next chapter of life with a fresh start.
The Consequences of Letting Senioritis Win Over You
Although skipping homework might feel like no big deal right now, senioritis and the procrastination that comes with it can have real consequences. For example, when colleges check your final transcript, they can see slipping grades and assume that you aren’t really that passionate about your application. Also, these bad habits like lack of interest and not showing up enough can carry over to college causing your work ethic to diminish in college or even late in your career. Sounds treacherous, right?
How to Beat Senioritis
If you feel the symptoms kicking in, here are some quick ways to ensure you are staying on track.
Set mini goals – break tasks into weekly or daily goals and make sure you see those goals every day.
Up your routine – study at another place, (think café, library), with different people; switch up your music; or try organizing your workspace to have a better direction on your schoolwork.
Plan Senior Year Activities! – Even though making sure you do your work is essential, so is having fun. Try to balance work and other fun events like hanging out with your friends or attending school activities (senior trip or game nights), to be more motivated!
Senioritis might be a rite of passage, but it doesn’t have to ruin your final year. Make sure to stay diligent, maintain good habits, and make the best of these last months you have in high school before you start something entirely new. So, before you decide to slack off, ask yourself – is it really worth it at the end?
