There are many methods and ways to progressively battle a bad case of an epidemic known as “Senioritis”. Senioritis defined is the movement towards becoming ultimately… lazy. Most seniors experience this when the realization hits that this is their last year of high school, so the noticeable results become a lack in motivation and a decline in performance. The milestone marking when this epidemic is at its peak is when seniors try to manage extracurricular activities, a social life, college stress, along with (perhaps) a part-time job. However, the greatest downfall is when acceptance letters go out and everyone has that one college they’ve settled on. Yeah, awesome, you guys are set! BUT – there’s still this one last school year to get through.
Symptoms of Senioritis vary, but most often they include laziness – obviously, a lack of studying or trying in general, an increase in absences, and even just a bad attitude. C’mon guys, get it together. You do realize giving up on high school to focus on your social life only months into school has some consequences, right? If you’ve got a real bad case of Senioritis then colleges do take notice, some even put students on academic probation, change financial aid situations, and/or just take back offers of admission completely.
But have no fear, here are some friendly tips to help you conquer this dangerous problem:
- Seriously remember colleges have the ability to reconsider their admission decisions! Attendance in general can affect your chances of getting your high school diploma. Also consider the fact that almost all schools ask for your final report cards, in other words, they see your whole YEAR of work – or lack of.
- Keep calm and carry on – for the next 7 months. You’ve worked too hard these past three years to completely give up now! Maintain a balanced lifestyle with the reminder that finishing strong is the most important thing as of right now.
- Think about your parents. They play the biggest roles in your life academically or not, they’re doing everything they can for you. Consider how much basic living costs for your whole family and how hard just that is, then imagine what it’ll be like once college starts. Don’t let that money go to waste, it’s hard making any nowadays. Also try to think back to how colleges take away financial aid offers; you have to maintain good grades in order to be a profound candidate. Do it for the sake of your parents’ bank account.
- Use a journal or a planner to make sure you have everything down and dated. Writing things down will help you remember better and especially make things easier if you create a daily checklist of things that need to get done by a certain time.
- Along with trying to sustain your mental health (which can be hard on its own), take care of yourself physically. Get enough sleep and stop falling asleep in class, because that will take a toll on your academic performance. It is difficult to stay away from those all-nighters due to homework, but with time management, you may be able to get at least six hours a night.
Using this advice, early prevention IS possible! Know the risks (daily six-hour naps, procrastination, and so much more), beforehand so you can easily prevent the contagion of Senioritis. Methods of prevention include staying on track and planning ahead for all the extracurriculars and electives and most importantly, putting in the effort to stay immune.
Time goes by so much faster than you know, use what’s left to end this chapter of your life on a good note. Start the next chapter – the college one – fresh by being in charge of what you can now, because you never know what life, or college, will throw at you.
