It is once again senioritis season.

The incurable disease has officially made its way throughout the senior class at Wilson High School.

“Senioritis” is a commonly known pseudo-disease that plagues high school students across the nation. While commonly discussed, it is not so commonly defined and analyzed.

So, what exactly is senioritis, and how does it infect American teens?

To keep it simple, the syndrome can be defined as a loss of motivation to complete not only school work but also day-to-day tasks as a result of 11 or more years of grueling hardships. It tends to occur in athletes, higher grade point average (GPA) students and those who have been overall successful through their lives of schooling. 

As with most extended works of life, schooling has its ups and downs and caveats and draws of day-to-day life. Responsibilities are littered about students’ lives not only in the classroom but also the various activities, jobs and relationships teens are involved with in conjunction with their academics.

These responsibilities build up. However, by far the greatest job most children will ever have is being a full-time student. Students in American public schools are required to maintain grades, balance a social life or some form of relief from the day-to-day grind of school and sometimes even hold a job to support themselves and their families. You see where this could potentially go wrong towards the end. 

With college application season taking up most of a student’s mind from the beginning of their senior year to early winter, stress compounds in a frequently nasty concoction of procrastination and pent-up angst. The emotional and academic buildup leading up to the pivotal three months that can decide a student’s life is indescribable, and burnout is very, very real.

Furthermore, college application season ends around late November, which conclusively puts an end to the decade-long preparation for application submissions. Obviously, school and senior year do not end when you finally apply to your colleges of choice. The dead period between post-application season and summer is when senioritis really hits.

Mired with the continuous burden of school and the persistent responsibilities young adults are tasked with, it is only natural that many seniors simply lose motivation for something that seems less important as it was before. This is when grades start to drop, slacking starts to increase and senioritis takes over.

From this point on, it is whatever students can manage to do to finish their senior year. It is important to note the student cannot completely let themself go, it is very possible wherever the student was accepted could rescind the long-awaited acceptance if the student fails a class. Many students also have to pass classes simply to finish high school and walk for graduation. Senioritis is more of a nuisance of a syndrome than a complete terminal disease. The lack of motivation is typically very noticeable and should be able to be recognized relatively early in the school year. 

Senioritis is treatable, however. Go outside, do things with loved ones and try to enjoy yourself. You only get one senior year, and the procrastination and stress caused by senioritis are not worth it. If you can show yourself your time is worth it, eventually, you will find the motivation to continue on as before, only this time you are in pursuit of more than a college entrance: you are in pursuit of real freedom. Seniors need to realize the hardest part is nearly over. 

It may be harder than it sounds, but try to focus on the positives. Your 12-year trek is almost over, and new beginnings are near. Treat your senioritis with love and care, ironically.

As these formative years come to a close, think about the hard work, the laughs and the memories, as cheesy as it may be to think about it. Do not let senioritis take over your last year of consistency as you know it. 

Be strong. You are bigger than this social construct of a virus.

It is once again senioritis season.

The incurable disease has officially made its way throughout the senior class at Wilson High School.

“Senioritis” is a commonly known pseudo-disease that plagues high school students across the nation. While commonly discussed, it is not so commonly defined and analyzed.

So, what exactly is senioritis, and how does it infect American teens?

To keep it simple, the syndrome can be defined as a loss of motivation to complete not only school work but also day-to-day tasks as a result of 11 or more years of grueling hardships. It tends to occur in athletes, higher grade point average (GPA) students and those who have been overall successful through their lives of schooling. 

As with most extended works of life, schooling has its ups and downs and caveats and draws of day-to-day life. Responsibilities are littered about students’ lives not only in the classroom but also the various activities, jobs and relationships teens are involved with in conjunction with their academics.

These responsibilities build up. However, by far the greatest job most children will ever have is being a full-time student. Students in American public schools are required to maintain grades, balance a social life or some form of relief from the day-to-day grind of school and sometimes even hold a job to support themselves and their families. You see where this could potentially go wrong towards the end. 

With college application season taking up most of a student’s mind from the beginning of their senior year to early winter, stress compounds in a frequently nasty concoction of procrastination and pent-up angst. The emotional and academic buildup leading up to the pivotal three months that can decide a student’s life is indescribable, and burnout is very, very real.

Furthermore, college application season ends around late November, which conclusively puts an end to the decade-long preparation for application submissions. Obviously, school and senior year do not end when you finally apply to your colleges of choice. The dead period between post-application season and summer is when senioritis really hits.

Mired with the continuous burden of school and the persistent responsibilities young adults are tasked with, it is only natural that many seniors simply lose motivation for something that seems less important as it was before. This is when grades start to drop, slacking starts to increase and senioritis takes over.

From this point on, it is whatever students can manage to do to finish their senior year. It is important to note the student cannot completely let themself go, it is very possible wherever the student was accepted could rescind the long-awaited acceptance if the student fails a class. Many students also have to pass classes simply to finish high school and walk for graduation. Senioritis is more of a nuisance of a syndrome than a complete terminal disease. The lack of motivation is typically very noticeable and should be able to be recognized relatively early in the school year. 

Senioritis is treatable, however. Go outside, do things with loved ones and try to enjoy yourself. You only get one senior year, and the procrastination and stress caused by senioritis are not worth it. If you can show yourself your time is worth it, eventually, you will find the motivation to continue on as before, only this time you are in pursuit of more than a college entrance: you are in pursuit of real freedom. Seniors need to realize the hardest part is nearly over. 

It may be harder than it sounds, but try to focus on the positives. Your 12-year trek is almost over, and new beginnings are near. Treat your senioritis with love and care, ironically.

As these formative years come to a close, think about the hard work, the laughs and the memories, as cheesy as it may be to think about it. Do not let senioritis take over your last year of consistency as you know it. 

Be strong. You are bigger than this social construct of a virus.