Advice

Image by: Henry Phan

With just a few months until the end of the school year, the seniors of Wade Hampton High School are well on their way to graduation and preparing for what comes next after high school. Many of the seniors have decided on a college they are applying to, while others have decided to go straight to the workforce and start to earn a living. 

Unfortunately, there are some who are stressed and worried about the upcoming future and lack the motivation and encouragement to get through the school year. Because of it, some of the seniors have lost hope and some have even considered dropping out of high school. This is when Senioritis comes in and starts creating issues for them. 

“Senioritis is the colloquial name for the decreased motivation towards studies displayed by those who are nearing the end of their high school career,” said Gregory Wynder, the 12th grade administrator at Wade Hampton High School. 

It would seem that Senioritis is more of a name displayed towards seniors rather than being some sort of a disease. While Wynder gave out a detailed definition of Senioritis, Eric Burrow, a social studies teacher, gave out a different definition of what Senioritis is.

“Senioritis is when a senior feels the need to not do any work because they feel the work that they have done their previous 11 or so years in school should be enough for them to be successful. Therefore they do not need to do any work,” Burrow said. 

Lack of work and the feeling of not doing any work could possibly be signs of Senioritis. Despite this affliction causing problems towards seniors, there is a way to overcome it that will encourage seniors to be more excited for the future after graduation. 

“I don’t think there’s any way to overcome it to be honest, because there’s seniors that just want to be done with high school. But if there was one way, that would be more motivation, but a fun motivation, not a serious one. That way, people would be more encouraged to continue on and keep going,” said Alitzet Ramirez Gonzalez, a senior of Wade Hampton.

While some students look for extrinsic motivation in these last months, others hope to find motivation from within even when it’s tough. 

Eric Cameron, also a senior of Wade Hampton, said “Make the final year a little more interesting, this final year all I have left is English and Culinary, and they’re kind of boring, I don’t really show up to both of my classes and we got one assignment a week, but even though 4-5 days I have to come are super boring, I still have one day and I have to be consistent. And they make every day a little more fun and probably would show up more often.”

With the understanding of what Senioritis is, as well as the ways to overcome and get through it, let's hope for any seniors to be able to have the confidence to get through their last school year, graduate, and get their diploma. Then hopefully they will pass down the advice they might have for other students that are about to become seniors next year.

With the arrival of Valentine’s day comes the recurring fear of being alone on February fourteenth. There’s no shock there, love and romance are at every corner whether it be the seasonal section of Walmart or everyone’s social media feeds. Contrary to the popular belief that a romantic relationship will make one happy, it is possible to find that joy elsewhere. 

There’s no doubt that dating has the potential to make people happy; however, it is not the only place to turn to for connection and understanding. Could friendships feel as strong as a romantic relationship? Research and studies have shown that they can.

According to the Washington Post, “. . . the term ‘platonic love’ was originally intended to reflect Plato’s vision of a love ‘so powerful it transcended the physical’.”

Whether or not friendships feel strong is up to the individual, like if they dedicate time to building their platonic relationships. The more time spent working on a relationship, whether it be romantic or platonic, the deeper that connection will be. 

Julie Gonzalez, Wade Hampton sophomore, said, “I feel like friends are always going to make you feel better if a partner can’t.” 

Just like how reinforcing friendships is an important part of being happier, focusing on the relationship one has with themselves is even more vital. A complication many high school students face when dating is struggling to connect with another person when their identity is not yet well established. 

Chelsea Bergmann, Wade Hampton English teacher, said, “In high school you don’t fully know who you are. You may be more precocious or may be more mature, and you may be okay in school, but I think even if you’re at that level and you’re someone who people consider mature for your age, I think you still don’t truly know who you are.”

Lacking a sense of self is a common reason why relationships don’t work out, and with good reason. Without a solid identity to guide the decisions one makes it’s easy to let the other person make them, which leads to a loss of autonomy and confidence. 

Marshall Jara, Wade Hampton senior, said, “It's far more peaceful being single, having my teen years to myself and my own mind rather than constantly having to double maybe triple my worries . . . Having time to figure out who I am and maintain self care; without the eyes of a spectator who's obligated to be worried about me. I have time to spend with my family and friends without drama, or having to inform another person where I'm going, when, for how long, what we're doing, etc. Having that peace of mind is enlightening to say the least.”

Independence is collectively regarded as the biggest pro of being single, as though being in a romantic relationship limits an individual’s independence. Committed relationships do take away certain freedoms, which is an important factor to consider when making the decision to date or not. 

Precious Olerum, Wade Hampton senior, said, “First of all, you don’t have to check in with somebody, and when you don’t have to check in with somebody you can check in with yourself, make sure you're okay, you have more time for you and stuff when you’re not in a relationship. Another thing that's a pro is you have more time to spend with your platonic loved ones.” 

Trying to balance the time spent with friends and family with the time spent with a partner is tricky, especially when responsibilities like school and work are added to the mix. Time is a factor that sets romantic relationships apart from friendships. 

Many people differentiate between romantic and platonic relationships by their intensity, type of attraction, and levels of intimacy. The definition varies depending on the person and the boundaries they set with others.  

Ben McCormick, Wade Hampton High School junior, said “I feel like [loyalty] would equal a romantic relationship, if you can have trust in each other and y'all could do more things together.”

The intense nature of romantic relationships means they tend to carry more weight than a friendship usually does, like how breakups are typically only used to refer to the splitting up of a couple. It’s important to acknowledge the effect of these relationships because of the lasting impact of them.    

According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, “Romantic relationships and experiences are important sources of emotional bonding and contribute to the development of a positive self-concept.” 

Relationships are the main sources of validation and affirmation that people go to in order to fulfill specific emotional needs, which is why it’s so common for them to be prioritized higher than friendships. They feel special and more complicated than the average friendship. 

Gonzalez said, “They have this connection or little spark, and so they just get along really well and they’re like meant for each other.”

That spark, the feeling of butterflies, and other cliches are what make dating appealing; however, that is not what makes up the majority of a relationship. Depending on how serious the relationship is, there is a certain amount of effort both partners must put in for the relationship to work. 

Olerum said, “I feel like people feel left out because they’re imagining something that’s so great and so comforting and one of the best experiences of their life; but they don’t know all the work and effort being in a relationship really takes. Like yeah, it's not a job but it can be emotionally draining sometimes to be in a relationship.”

Dating isn’t a solution to loneliness, it’s a choice made by individuals who decide to share their life with someone else. High school is where many people begin to form their perception of romance, which is based on their experiences, family life, and social circle. It’s a chance for joy, heartbreak, and growth.

McCormick said, “[Relationships] do make a person happy but I feel like after the breakup, after the heart broken stage or whatever, I feel like you move on and just make yourself become a better person and feel like you're a stronger person.”

Although it is important to consider whether one is ready to enter a relationship before dating, it’s also necessary to take risks from time to time. Some of the best lessons learned are those that were lived instead of heard about. 

Bergmann said, “I also have a better idea now from all that experience of what I do want, right? Like I'm not just ‘it’s whatever’, I know what I value, I know what's important to me and then that's what I'm looking for in somebody else.”

Being single can be hard, but it’s a part of life that should be enjoyed as much as being in a relationship is. Although it may sound corny or cringey, nevertheless, the most significant relationship anyone ever has in their life is with themselves.