Introduction
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you might have a common disease called Senioritis.
Do you feel like school is the most useless thing in your life? Are you in your last year of high school or college? Have you lost all motivation to do homework? Have you stopped studying for tests? Have your grades, no matter how good or bad they may be, made you complacent?
Symptoms
Senioritis is an acute condition that commonly occurs around the end of the school year. It begins with relatively minor symptoms, like deciding not to finish your last few calculus problems. But, before you know it, senioritis can escalate to skipping class and flunking tests. Hopefully, you can catch the disease in the early stages to avoid terminal effects, like failing your classes.
Common symptoms patients may exhibit include the following:
- Extreme sleep deprivation
- Sleeping all day
- Excessive partying
- Losing any and all motivation
- Feeling like school is a waste of time
- Checking out after you get into college or grad school
- Not caring enough to study or complete assignments
- Falling asleep in class
- Finding your routine boring
- Wishing you could fast-forward to graduation
- Wondering how time flew by so quickly
Severity of symptoms and duration of illness with senioritis varies individually. Not all symptoms may be present in every patient, but the overarching symptom is feeling bored with the never-ending senior year. If you are experiencing any of the listed symptoms, you should get a reality check immediately.
Treatment
While there are no proven treatments for senioritis, there are many things you can do to diminish your symptoms and finish the school year strong. Once you come to terms with the fact that you have senioritis, and you are stuck in school until graduation, try at least one of the following:
Start a Countdown
Figure out how many days you have left until graduation. Find a whiteboard, or use your phone if you’re really lazy. Subtract the days until you reach graduation, and hopefully, you will be able to motivate yourself enough to shuffle across that stage.
Get Organized
If you can’t seem to turn in any homework or remember when your tests are, get a planner, or start making to-do lists. That way, it won’t be quite so hard to figure out what you need to spend your time on…when you finally decide to actually do work.
Make a Dream Board
Make a list, board, or collage with all the things you want in your future. Plan your major or career. Find pretty houses on cute streets in whatever town you want to live in. Also, look at dogs, cats, or parrots you may want to adopt. Put whatever you want to do in the future on your dream board. This will help motivate you to get the heck out of school, so you can move on with your life.
Commiserate and Congratulate
Rant to your fellow senior friends. Complain about how much you want to be done with school forever. Tell them everything that’s bothering you, and let them do the same. And while you’re struggling through tests and quizzes and homework, encourage each other. That way, you can make it to graduation and celebrate together!
If you find that you are suffering from Senioritis, do not despair. It is a very common disease that can affect anyone who is in their last year of school. But, the important thing is that while you are suffering there are many treatment options to help ease your symptoms. And there is a cure that will free you before you know it: graduation!
Photo by Kinga Cichewicz on Unsplash
I agree with you. Depression and disappointment come very often. I am doing research now, so I know everything from my own experience. I hope to find a good online service and seek help from professionals.