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Senioritis is a term that refers to a mental condition many high school or college seniors experience near the end of their time at school. This condition can affect a student’s motivation to attend classes or complete schoolwork. Students experiencing senioritis often feel extremely burnt out and may have difficulty focusing on their studies. Some begin to care less about their assignments, regularly turning in lower quality work. Although these seniors have not yet completed school, their stress levels are high as they face many unknowns whether they are concerning college life or their ability to find a job after college (“What is Senioritis?”).
A common cause behind senioritis is that many students feel that they are essentially finished with high school and do not need to strive for good grades after their college applications have been submitted. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. A great deal of colleges still expect applicants to maintain their academic performance in their last semester of senior year, meaning that seniors have an incentive to still put in the effort into schoolwork (Montesi).
This widespread and potentially serious problem affects roughly 78% of seniors across the nation’s high schools, based on a 2012 investigation conducted by Omniscient (Arnold). The senior class at Mira Loma is no exception. With only a partial semester left of their high school years, many Mira Loma class of 2024 students seem to be experiencing a noticeable amount of senioritis.
One student who has struggled with senioritis is Min Htun, a senior at Mira Loma High School. Htun shares, “senioritis is real and has hit me hard. It has definitely made it harder for me to stay motivated.” However, he also shares that he has been exploring new passions with his extra time as a senior and is also looking forward to his graduation later this year and college in the fall.
Benjamin Wang, another senior at Mira Loma High School who has experienced senioritis, shares, “senioritis has definitely affected me and has made me slightly depressed. I have less energy to do things I enjoy doing because my college applications and essays take up most of my time.” Although Wang’s life is being affected by senioritis, like Htun, he is also looking forward to college this fall.
However, while it may seem that the effects of senioritis are difficult to overcome, there are several methods to raise motivation. One of these methods is to always ensure that you are focused on your goal of graduating from high school and perhaps attending college. For those with college plans, it helps to remember that despite being accepted into college, students with unsatisfactory grades in their senior year could cause colleges to change course. Another way to overcome senioritis is to change the routine a bit. For example, you can try studying in a different environment like a coffee shop or participate in a new activity. Finally, remember to give yourself breaks from work to have fun (Durrani).
With just three months left of high school, hopefully Mira Loma seniors can overcome the increasing levels of senioritis and make it to graduation.
Arnold, Alexandra. “The Mysterious Affliction.” West Signals, 14 February 2024,
https://whssignals.com/opinion/2024/02/14/the-mysterious-affliction.
Durrani, Anayat. “How to Fight Senioritis and Get to Graduation.” US News, US News and
World Report, 20 January 2023,
https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/how-to-fight-senioritis-and-get-to-graduation.
Montesi, John. “Finishing High School Strong: 5 Remedies for Senioritis.” Azusa Pacific
University, 12 February 2019,
https://www.apu.edu/articles/finishing-high-school-strong-5-remedies-for-senioritis/.
“What is Senioritis?” Grand Canyon University, 9 January 2023,
https://www.gcu.edu/blog/gcu-experience/what-senioritis.
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