Sen-ior-i-tis [seen-yor-ey-tis]: noun
The crippling disease that tends to hit seniors mid-year after college applications are in. Symptoms include: lack of focus, laziness, and obsessively mumbling the sentence: “My applications are in, why should I try?”
Senioritis is a very real, very taxing sickness. Throughout history, seniors have credited their lack of work ethic throughout the year to a bad bout of senioritis and today, this is a widely overused excuse in high school. However, while I myself have suffered turns of senioritis over the last couple of weeks, I firmly believe there are many reasons to keep focused and do well even in the last year of high school, the best strategy being having a good mindset.
Although my college essays are written and my applications have been sent, I still have very much incentive to try during school hours.
This year has the potential to be greater than lunch release and on-campus parking: it could also be educationally rewarding.
For one thing, I believe final exemptions are enough to drive any senior to work hard. I thoroughly plan on acing out of every one of my class finals. Also, there is the chance that the greatest college in the universe waitlists me and makes its final decision based on my senior transcripts. While that is seen as a rare horror story told to make seniors think twice about slacking off, it could happen to anyone and has happened to a number of students who truly believed their academic fate was sealed on the last day of junior year.
The trouble is, we as students associate school with boring books and challenging academics. Yes, in most cases -- certainly most commonly throughout the last 11 years of schooling -- that’s what school was. However, at LHS, we’re given the choice to make it more than that. The school realizes this is our last leg of high school and we’re this close to the finish line, which is why they give the option of making it educationally stimulating and interesting.
I believe the best way to do that and force yourself to stay dedicated is to simply challenge yourself. Take AP classes or a new language. This is senior year; it should be something to look forward to, not to dread.
Or, if you’re not the “AP kid," you can take the opposite route.
While it is halfway through our first semester of senior year, it’s not too late to change second semester classes. In fact, if many students followed the suggested curriculum track these last few years, they would have enough credits to graduate by the end of first semester; now is the time to take it easy. You’ve been killing yourself in advanced math classes the last three years? Try an art class. Got enough credits? Take choir or sewing. Is your major going to be kindergarten teaching next year? Take child development. The school doesn’t give us the option of all of these electives this year for nothing. This year is for bettering ourselves, staying focused and doing what we want. Sure, it’s senior year, theoretically the greatest year of high school, but it’s still school.
The way I look at it, I have no reason to do anything less than my best. Freshman year, you’re getting used to the big school and the harder coursework; sophomore and junior years, classwork is tougher and there’s the burden of the ACT and college visits; senior year, everything is done. All that I’ve worked for these last three years resides in my college applications. There’s a huge relief in that, but also a drive because college applications are done. The anxiety that encompasses seniors for the first few months of school has ended, and now it’s time to fulfill some goals. Without extra homework and college visits to worry about, maybe try to get into NHS or get straight A’s for the first time. The possibilities are endless; all it takes is a little focus and motivation to make senior year the most relaxing as well as academically fulfilling.
This year, teachers realize that your main concern is not acing a pop quiz or stressing about last night’s homework. There is less busy work and more responsibility because teachers want you to form a work ethic now that you will carry into college and the rest of your life. Do you tend to get pop quizzes and worksheets in college? No, not particularly. Do you need to figure out what study techniques work for you? Yes.
Now we have to try, not just for our senior transcript, but also for Life. We’re teenagers. High school is the period when you get to know yourself and build habits that last forever. This year, while maybe slightly less challenging and time consuming, is for developing a future, for figuring out life and learning about yourself.
Also, there’s the concept of pride. If you’re okay with ending a three-year A streak, go for it. However, I think most of us, deep down, are not okay with turning in subpar work. I think most of us have that teacher who expects more of us. I think some of us have that teacher who recommended us for AP lit or an advanced psychology class. If you’re not going to do well for yourself, do well for that teacher. And what about the teacher who’s writing your college recommendation letter that says what a hard worker you are? Teachers in this school believe in us. LHS, being a top-rated high school in the state, expects something of us. We owe it to them and to ourselves to try this year, next year, and for all of the years after that. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the microscopic world of Libertyville, and that’s okay when you’re 9. When you’re 18 and about to graduate from high school, it’s time to look back on the people who inspire and believe in us and do our best for them. We’re almost adults; it’s time to make these eight hours a day, and every hour of every day for the rest of our lives, count.