Surviving Senioritis 

It starts with one missing assignment. Then another. And before you know it, it’s got you in its clutch. You’re hitting snooze on your alarm, you’re debating whether or not to go to school, turning in homework late (or not at all), and counting down the days until your next break or even graduation. Sound familiar? Welcome to senioritis. 

If you’re curious as to what senioritis is, here’s the book definition according to Oxford Dictionary: “A supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” Now, here’s the simple definition: Senioritis is when you’re just done. 

Some say “It’s a little too early for senioritis,” but I disagree. Personally, I felt like senioritis hit me in October 2024, but others have been feeling it right now. No matter when it strikes, it’s a shared experience. I asked a bunch of seniors to describe senioritis in one word and here’s what I got: guilt, laziness, freedom, stress, exhausting, annoying, dreadful, skip, tiring, burned-out, fun, and so many more. 

For many of us, the pressure of applying to colleges and waiting for decisions can make senior year feel like a rollercoaster. One senior in APVA, Gull, told me “Senioritis hit me when I was filling out the Common Application. I don’t know why, but applying to colleges has been harder than regular schoolwork.” This is something I think we can all agree on. Another senior, who would like to remain anonymous, says, “I’ve skipped so many of my classes. I feel bad, but we never do anything to begin with. It feels like teachers have also started to slack off.” 

However, I think it’s important to mention that this isn’t a “slacking off” phase. It’s important for everyone, specifically teachers, to understand that senioritis is a culmination of years of academic pressure, and it’s a real challenge for students. Understanding the mental strain students are under can make a huge difference. A little empathy goes a long way, especially as we near the final stretch. 

With college decisions expected by March, the wait is making a lot of us impatient. Once those major decisions roll in, senioritis will definitely reach its peak. Whether your dream college accepts you or not, the reality of what comes next will hit. Until then, we’re all just trying to get through the grind together.