When senioritis attacks

The air is still as the absent-minded class stares blankly as the period slowly slides by. What has come over this small class? The answer is senioritis, and it seems to get the best of almost all seniors this time of year.  For some, however, it happens much sooner.

“School just seemed to get less and less important,” Red Lion senior Jaiden Graham said.

This so called “disease” is the result of students struggling to balance school, work, time with friends, and finding that perfect college and getting in. This stress can cause seniors to become lazy, acquire a dismissive attitude toward school, and often have an excessive amount of absences throughout the year.

However, seniors are not the only ones affected by these huge amounts of stress. It also can be very irritating to their teachers and classmates. The lack of attention can cause a class to be very unproductive and cause lessons to drag on much longer than they normally would.

“Students obtain this mindset that graduation is the end, but in reality it is the beginning of a new chapter in their lives,” Mr. Blackwell, an executive council advisor for the class of 2015 said. “Students should not become lazy when the end of their high school career is nearing its end, rather they should keep pushing and finish strong because its so close to being over.”

This mindset can also have an effect on students getting into the college of their choice. What many seniors don’t realize is that this last year is very crucial for colleges. 

It is important to keep trying in school in order to show that you are willing to learn and that you are dedicated to finishing what you have started. Although senior year can be overwhelming, there are ways to avoid the stress and affects of this hectic period of life. Here are some tips for upcoming seniors on how to avoid senioritis and its destructive nature.

Plan ahead, have a calendar were you write down deadlines and scheduled events and activities. Secondly, do not become obsessed with getting into college, just focus on what is going on right now and do what makes you happy.

Also, discuss your feelings with the people close to you. If you try to make all decisions by yourself, it can be very overwhelming. It is good to see what others have to say and to be open to suggestions.

Finally, make sure to have fun. After all, it is your last year here, so you may as well enjoy it.

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