A ‘Senioritis’ Survival Guide

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With the second semester of this school year steadily moving along and Spirit Week already behind us, the school year is rapidly coming to a close. The last round of college decisions will be released soon, and graduation is just on the horizon. As we quickly barrel towards summer, excitement is mounting, especially among the seniors who can’t wait to begin anew at the college of their choice. But intermingled amongst these feelings of elation and anticipation is a dark shadow. This creeping shadow is senioritis, and it has already begun to take hold of Notre Dame’s Class of 2025.

Senioritis is what commonly occurs when students who are close to graduating begin to lose motivation in the last stretch of high school. The affliction is easy to diagnose, marked by feelings of apathy and total cynicism toward the student’s remaining courses. When a student catches senioritis, it can become difficult to find the motivation to accomplish even basic tasks like cleaning their room, so it’s no surprise that schoolwork often becomes an afterthought to those who come down with it. 

The effects of senioritis are so severe that the College Board has a web page discussing the condition and its impact on students. On this page, they state that “Every year, colleges rescind offers of admission, put students on academic probation, or alter financial aid packages due to ‘senioritis.’” This is due to the drop off in grades that afflicted students so often experience. Although expectations remain the same for students throughout the entirety of the school year, for seniors, it can feel impossible to keep up with schoolwork during this final push toward graduation. However, there are a few tricks that seniors can try to combat the dangerous malady.

One of the most helpful antidotes for senioritis is maintaining a clean space. Ensuring that your bedroom or workspace is organized and clean is one of the quickest ways to combat senioritis. Mental health is linked heavily to the state of the space an individual occupies, and a disorganized bedroom or workspace can contribute heavily to feelings of anxiety and stress and cause you to feel even more overwhelmed. In contrast, keeping your space tidy can improve sleep quality, increase productivity, and relieve stress. If you or someone you know is struggling with senioritis, cleaning your space is a great way to medicate.

Another helpful remedy is practicing self-care. The importance of self-care cannot be overstated. Taking care of yourself and ensuring that you look your best is directly linked to making sure you feel your best. Whether self-care for you means journaling, putting on a face mask, or taking a long bath, making time for yourself to do the things that help you relax and feel good is necessary to support mental health, especially now with senioritis in the air. 

Finally, although schoolwork can feel like the impassable source of all your issues, completing schoolwork on time is important to keep senioritis at bay. Finishing assignments early and allowing time for questions or revisions will greatly reduce senior-year stress. The sooner you complete your work, the sooner you can lie back and relax.

With summer vacation and college just around the corner, it can feel impossible to focus on the here and now as seniors. However, with the help of a few mindful practices like making time for self-care, cleaning your space, and leaving time to complete your schoolwork, you can raise your immunity against the plague that is senioritis.