Since the beginning of the second semester, there has been an increase in seniors struggling to get work in on time, pay attention within classes, and even show up to school. This common occurrence is known as senioritis and it works like clockwork each passing school year. 

Before I can even begin writing this story I struggle with finding the drive to complete it. Procrastination, little to no desire to come to school, and absolutely no motivation, I believe, are true struggles for us seniors as we enter our final quarter of our high school careers.   

“I believe senioritis is a real problem,” senior Blake Alley said. 

An additional problem most seniors face is the feeling that school and their classes are no longer as important as they were in previous years.

“A lot of my classes are just busy work and don’t really matter for me to graduate,” Alley said. “Most of the classes taken senior year don’t matter that much.”

With busy work prominent in most classes, many seniors have found motivation hard to come by when it comes to even doing assignments. 

“A lot of us struggle with getting work in on time and having the motivation to actually pay attention in class,” senior Zach Wilcox said. “I think we’re just ready to get out of high school and graduate.”

The annual struggle and pushback coming from seniors is nothing new to teachers that have seniors in class.

“I think we have a cultural conception of senioritis,” social studies teacher Kathryn Pinto said. “It definitely plays out in the attitude and behavior of seniors.”

With the struggle being a well-known concept amongst teachers and students alike, acknowledging the problem and changing the approach to academics from both parties is a necessary step. 

“I think a lot of seniors feel that they have jumped through a lot of hoops throughout their education,” Pinto said, “and they’re tired of jumping through those hoops.”

As the end of the school year comes closer with each passing day, the limited motivation and procrastination from seniors becomes a bigger struggle.

“My motivation to do things this semester has dropped significantly,” Wilcox said. “I’m ready to leave.”

Despite the struggle in academics, most of us have been able to find something to keep our interest. Extracurricular activities like sports and the arts have been beneficial in keeping us motivated to show up on a daily basis. 

“I don’t do much in most of my classes, but I’m still motivated to come to school because of my extracurricular activities,” Alley said. “I really enjoy that aspect of this year.”

With the end in sight, there are still things that can be done to maintain a positive attitude before walking across the stage. 

“I recommend trying to reach out and connect with their teachers, friends, or other people in the building,” Pinto said. “Any senior who is struggling is welcome to visit me. I’m always happy to help.”

Beyond the difficulty in finishing out the final quarter, there are definitely aspects of high school that will be missed by most seniors after graduation. Especially those who we have become close with over the years.

“[Graduation] is bittersweet,” Alley said. “I think I’ll miss the friends I’ve made here the most.”