Senioritis, a common term used to describe students who lack motivation due to reaching the end of their high school career.

Although senioritis is often seen as a joke, many students can be seen battling symptoms including procrastination, incomplete assignments, minimum effort, and a lack of interest. According to Kayla McKechnie (12), “after I submitted almost all of my college applications, I started procrastinating and putting the bare minimum amount of effort because I just felt tired and ready for school to be over.” 

Senioritis usually starts taking effect around January, when students have finished most of their college applications, the first semester of the year is either finished or almost over, and students are still in “vacation-mode” following winter break. While many seniors’ college applications are finished, falling behind in the second semester can still have an impact on college admissions decisions and make transitioning from high school to college more difficult.

Mr. Walls (Staff) hopes to combat the effects of senioritis: “I try and make sure that the amount of work I’m assigning is of an appropriate amount. I want students to maintain a healthy school and life balance. Seniors need to soak up their time at the end of high school, especially having spent a good portion of high school online.”

However, the class of 2022 may have a better mindset when facing senioritis. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, seniors have spent between a year and a year and a half in online school. Hannah Bucklin (12) shares “I feel like, since we missed out on a lot of the high school experience, a lot of us are trying to enjoy what we have left of school by going to more school dances and games.” The class of 2022 has only experienced “normal high school” in their freshman year, so making the most of senior year means more now than ever.

Compared to the class of 2020 and 2021, the class of 2022 can still have some traditional graduation events. As high school ended abruptly for the class of 2020 and online for the class of 2021, this year’s seniors have a better chance to enjoy their final moments as high schoolers and are more likely to overcome the symptoms of senioritis.

The class of 2022’s mindset may even change the way we think about senioritis. Instead of throwing our hands up and giving up on school, students can focus on making memories and soaking up our final moments.