Not-So Senioritis

By Aiden Darneider

With many NSCD seniors receiving their college acceptance letters and others waiting anxiously for theirs, the term “senioritis” is beginning to pour out of the mouths of many upper school students, faculty and staff “Senioritis” is a common noun used across the United States to describe the decline in motivation experienced by many high school seniors following their admittance to university Although one may assume senioritis is far more harmful than beneficial, it might be better for one’s overall health and learning than you may think

Many Students experiencing the effects of senioritis are considered lazy, using their commitment to a university as an excuse to slack off in school. To upper school history teacher Mr. Mercer, there is “some myth” in the term. What he finds to be true is that some students feel that they do not need to continue working as hard as they have before, but, to him, it makes “logical sense.” Saying this, it may come as a surprise that Mr. Mercer “starts to find [his senior students] more interesting” in the second semester because they start “learning for the sake of learning.”

Saying this, it may come as a surprise that Mr. Mercer “starts to find [his senior students] more interesting” in the second semester because they start “learning for the sake of learning.”

Senior Josh Sanders (committed to Howard University) agrees with Mr. Mercer that there is both fact and fiction in what is known as “senioritis.” Josh finds himself “participating more because [he] feels like more of a leader now.” He explains that he strives to achieve more “in my APs,” highlighting the shift in mindsets that Mr. Mercer has recognized.

Focusing beyond the classroom, Josh has noticed a change in how he manages his time. He has realized he’s been procrastinating more, delaying some assignments until later in the day to prioritize social endeavors. Josh’s behavior is expected of someone working tirelessly for a long period towards the single objective of acceptance into a college or university.

With this, it is not rare for a student’s social life to become less of a priority during the months of their college process. The stress of balancing college applications and schoolwork can begin to take a toll on one’s mental health.

To Senior Charlie Ver Eecke (Committed to Wake Forest University), the time leading up to submitting college applications “were some of the worst months of my life.” This is a common belief among many who have gone through the same process. What Charlie said suggests that senioritis could simply just be a word used to describe the hardly avoidable burnout of students and seniors in particular.

Supporting this claim is Ms. Ryder, an upper school science teacher, who believes that after working so hard for three and a half years, “sometimes, [students] just need a breather.”

She believes that many students view getting into college as the finish line to their high school career. Ms. Ryder thinks of the college process and high school in general as a race, explaining that “if you’re running a race and the race is over, it would be weird if you kept running,” unless you are Forrest Gump.

Despite that, she still believes that students need to make an effort to stay engaged and keep working. Ms. Ryder describes that students should not “disengage, but to re-engage in a way that helps them enjoy school without being stressed about whether or not they have an A in the class.”

After talking with students and teachers, it is clear that senioritis is not what it appears to be. While it is clear that there is a change in the academic effort put in by some students, this change might not be as negative as one may think. The second semester plays such a pivotal role in a senior’s social life that it is almost more important to focus on friendships and family before leaving for school, rather than books.