Senioritis: A Medical Review

We’ve been in school for almost fourteen years at this point. Each one has built up to the silver lining of graduation, and we’re so close to getting there! So why is it that practically every grade 12 you talk to complains of being unmotivated? Why are top students producing lackluster labs and skimping on studying?

This condition is quite severe. You may have heard of its medical term before, “senioritis”, but few know how this plague has grasped at the academic lives of grade 12 students across the country. And even less know the consequences of this serious disease. Please read on for all you need to know about senioritis… and most importantly, how to combat it.

First of all, what are the telltale signs and symptoms of senioritis? Students will be less eager to commit time to homework, more likely to skip class to hang out with friends, and most significantly, unmotivated by the impending doom of university or college (though its arrival is closer than ever!) This is a year of lasts: last leadership camp, last caf cookie eaten, last time you’re at the same school as all your pals, some of whom you’ve known for the majority of your life. With these lasts comes the anxiety of the firsts: first university applied for, first time living away from home, first 8am lecture. It can be a bit too much to handle, mentally and physically, and this pressure can lead to avoidance. It’s easier to ignore all the lasts and firsts for the fun, lighthearted moments… hence, senioritis.

Of course, there are going to be harmful side effects unless you get your senioritis diagnosed and treated. The most concerning one: how your habits this year may affect your success in post-secondary. After that all-hailed “Conditional Offer of Acceptance”, it’s easy to coast by with the bare minimum. But once you’re thrown into the deep end next year, you might realize your slacking off has bitten you in the butt.

As someone plagued by senioritis myself, I cannot recommend any quick fixes to you. Remember that it’s okay to cry and scream sometimes (ideal dosage: two times a week). At the end of the day, or rather, the end of the year, what do you want to look back on? It is so important to cherish moments with friends. So hustle through your homework and always try your best. Take in the firsts… and the lasts. Feel it all and make this year one for the books.