In the second half of the year, everyone starts to throw around the word: senioritis. We start to see the seniors slowly (or sometimes really fast) show up less often, start to give up more easily, and complain a lot more about their day to day. After twelve years in public school, they start to get more frustrated and impatient for their graduation day.  But what really is senioritis and what causes it?

Senioritis is a term used to describe the lack of motivation, often experienced by high school or college seniors during their final year of school. It is a decline in effort, an increase in procrastination, or even increased apathy toward schoolwork. This can happen as students feel they’ve reached the end of their academic journey and may lose some of the drive they had earlier in their school years. They want to get the year over with and graduate so they can start a new chapter of life, but the year goes by slowly for them.

Senioritis is caused by a combination of laziness, burnout, lack of motivation, and anticipation of graduation. A lot of students commit to colleges early and think they don’t have to try since they already got into the college they want to be in.

If you start the year off with study halls and in second semester, you don’t have the same amount it gets even harder. It gets harder because you are even closer to finishing the year.  It is also caused by you getting so much freedom your senior year that you get lazy. This lack of motivation can be attributed to several factors. For many students, the anticipation of graduation that comes with it can overshadow the importance of their current responsibilities. The college application process can be exhausting, leaving students feeling burnt out and less excited to put in the effort required to maintain their academic standing and wanting to get everything done and out of the way.

While senioritis is a common experience for many students, it is important to recognize its potential impact and take steps to mitigate its effects. Maintaining a balance between enjoying the final months of high school and staying committed to academic responsibilities is what you have to focus on. By setting goals, staying organized, and seeking support from teachers and peers, students can overcome senioritis and finish their academic careers on a strong note and enjoy your last year of high school that in the future they are going to miss a lot and want to be back during this time.