Seniors have been struggling with senioritis, a term used to describe the decreased motivation towards studies displayed by students, as they prepare for the end of their last year of high school.

By: Naydelin Hernandez and Yanaya Shields

As we closely approach the end of senior year in the middle of a pandemic, seniors have been quarantined with senioritis. Senioritis is not an actual disease but more of a phenomenon. Mostly experienced by high school seniors or those in their last year of college, seniors lack a great amount of motivation to get them through the final stages of school.

Senioritis can be heavily impactful on some students and very hard to manage and overcome. According to author Christine Frank, there are a few ways students can manage senioritis. Students can use tactics such as setting small goals, staying present, keeping in touch with family and friends, and planning out your schedule with a planner or calendar; these methods are proven to help students manage their senioritis.

Unfortunately, many seniors experiencing senioritis found that their mental health deteriorated after they started to feel the effects of the very common phenomenon. Many seniors reported that they started to feel a decrease in motivation, an increase in depression, and decrease in the efforts they put in their academics. These serious side effects are what motivated students at the University of Michigan to come up with ways to maintain your mental health while going through senioritis such as making sure to value yourselves, maintain your physical health and eat healthy, quiet your mind or do some meditations, avoid drugs and alcohol, and get help from a professional if needed.

https://sites.bu.edu/ombs/2016/02/02/the-science-behind-senioritis/

Many seniors feel that senioritis is something they have to suffer through alone but that’s simply not true. Students can turn to teachers and other staff members in order to seek help or guidance during their difficult times. “Make sure you help your child see how critical it is to finish the end of the school year strong…Staying connected to the school helps your child stay invested,” says Dr Pamela Roggeman from the University of Phoenix. Having a strong support system especially from the parents really makes a difference to a struggling student.

Current APB seniors Shadanny Rodriguez and Marilyn Lemus both stated that they were experiencing some form of senioritis. Rodriguez and Lemus are both outstanding students and have always done their best to excel in school, up until recently.

In her everyday life, Lemus says, “I’ve found it most difficult to wake up early in the morning, as well as finishing things that I have started throughout the day.” While it is understandable that there are many other factors that can contribute to these occurrences, senioritis is known to be a killer for motivation, and anything school related.

When Rodriguez was asked what she thought she could do in order to keep her spirits up for the remaining of the semester, Rodriguez stated, “I tend to cope by turning to meditation and art. It gives me a peace of mind because I have not felt as invested in my school work or preparing for college as I did during the first semester of senior year.” Senioritis often causes guilt and weighs heavy on students shoulders because they feel like they are not doing enough.

Many of APB’s current seniors are becoming adults and are currently hearing back about college admissions. They are all very different people and so life changing events like these can be very anxiety ridden and can have serious effects on one’s mental health.

Waiting for college admission can bring on a whole other level of anxiety that can seem too overwhelming or unmanageable to most students. “You can’t eradicate the possibility of rejection, but you can anticipate it and come to terms with it in advance, and that can help head off some of your anxiety about applying to college,” Senior Blogger at CollegeVine Monikah Schuschu said. Dwelling and constantly stressing out about college admissions will do way more harm than good; try to mentally prepare yourself for rejection beforehand so it won’t be as crushing if you actually get deferred and it would be even more exciting if you actually get in.

While school may feel pointless right now to many seniors due to senioritis, taking on the following tip may help the class of 2021 finish strong: remembering your biggest motivator in times of struggle.