Features

When Senioritis Gets Real

Kayla Smith
April 6, 2017

Senioritis is a growing epidemic that has continuously gotten worse over these past couple of months, especially with the make up days that have left students trapped in school without a break.

Senioritis simply means for one to lack in school work, miss classes, or skip school repeatedly as a result of being so close to graduation. It is a problem that seems to be a myth when Seniors are underclassmen, but when it hits, it hits hard. Everyone has their reason for why Senioritis has hit them, whether it be because of work, outside influences, or being just plain over school.

Joshua Roof, a Senior here at Tallwood High says, “What motivates my Senioritis is literally the fact that we’re so close [to graduating] and we’ve learned almost the same thing all four years that we’ve been in high school.”

He also works after school, so on the days he chooses to skip, it allows him to gain more hours at his job. Roof’s Senioritis hit him at the beginning of his second semester of Senior year, whereas others have been affected by senioritis as early as Freshman year.

When asked when did Senioritis really hit her, Abby Baker, a Senior Varsity Sideline and Competition Cheer Captain said, “Freshman year. To be honest, dating a Senior and being friends with all of his and along with mine, it just did not help because I saw them not care and it rubbed off. Especially towards the end of the year. Who wants to go to school when it’s nice? Not me.”

Senioritis is much more dangerous than perceived to be. Seniors do not really think of the long term effects that come along with this lack of motivation. This condition affects everything in a Senior’s life from grades to GPA, and many do not even realize GPA is a huge deal. Often, these same students wait until the last minute or when it’s too late to try to raise their GPA.

Ms. Janet Peterson, a Senior Honors and Advanced Placement English Teacher says, “I feel students do not achieve nearly what they need to achieve because they are not totally tuned in. I think their grades go down. I know their grades go down. And I feel they blow off their makeup work because, by this time of the year, most Seniors are over it. However, what they don’t really realize, at least the ones I teach like the higher level students, is that they are going to be going off to college and should really take the advantage of the opportunity to prepare themselves better.”

According to this newswriter’s friends and acquaintances, the rise of Senioritis this year has been higher than in the past. Could this possibly be due to the make up days that were designated as off days, thus not giving the students a proper mental break they need?

Whatever the reasoning be, we aren’t the first generation to display Senioritis, and we won’t be the last. Who knows what truly drives the phenomenon known as Senioritis?

A way to try your hardest to avoid falling victim to this phenomenon is to keep pushing through your Senior year realizing that in the end, it is all worth it.

Photo of Joshua Roof and Abby Baker.

Below are stories published in the April 7 Issue of The Roaring Gazette.

Meet the Candidates by Cassidy O’Neal

Ring Dance Glamorous and Unforgettable by Kaylyn Neves

Three Lunches Test Cafeteria Capacity by Elena Day

Student Art Wows at the MOCA by Ariana Hernandez

When Senioritis Gets Real by Kayla Smith

Passing Students Just to Pass Them: Why this is Harmful by Dave Nimer

Let’s Face it: Cursive is Dead by Amari McCoy

Schools Should Re-Think Standardized Testing by Tyanna Lamar

Immigration is Great, but the U.S. must Ensure it is Safe, Legal by Dylan Klepk

In a Digital World, Why do Teachers Make us Print? by Marissa Howell