Senior year. A year where the 'I don't care' syndrome takes a front seat into our college careers. Our consistent schedules, good attendance, and timely homework routine is now out of the question. This has turned into procrastination in all fronts of life, inconsistent mood swings, and grades become less than important. This last year gives us an excuse to wear the same sweatpants days in a row and social norms get thrown out the window. And just when you think you have seen it all, uncontrollable laziness smacks you in the face. This sensation has now influenced the unavoidable. You have now started flirting with other emotions that you thought didn't exist. Welcome to your crossroads and emotional wall. Here are the unavoidable stages of senioritis:

1. "I really don't care, I'm going to do what I want."

Senior year is the time when you make up any excuse to escape from anything that screams responsibility. You make up ridiculous excuses to skip that one class. But in reality, you are either doing one of two things: laying in your bed because you don't want to move, or you are going on an adventure far away. You look at all the underclassmen and think, "that's so cute that they are going to all their classes." When in reality, you laugh at the fact that they still have 2 or 3 more years. You are at the top of the chain. You can decide when you want to pay attention, give advice, or show up. You are officially a Senior.

2. "I can't do this right now."

Have you ever been that person that looks at your syllabus' and can't handle the thought of your work load? I know I have. You stare at your computer blankly, your homework becomes a blur, and your mind refuses to give into anything that requires deep thought. You know you need to graduate, but you can't handle the thought of life right now. All you want to do is graduate and high tail it out of there.

3. "How many days can I miss?"

At this point, you have it down to a science how many days you can miss and the exact days that it will take place. Laziness has creeped into your every day life. You can't decide what's more important: binge watching Doctor Who on Netflix or writing your twelve page paper. But from some miracle, you get by with doing both. Because you're awesome, you're a Senior, you got this.

4. "Wait, are you serious?"

You have hit your wall. Reality starts to kick in. You feel like the world is crumbling around you. Doing your homework would be the smart and responsible thing to do. You are a Senior and you are graduating in a year. But then again it's January, you are graduating in 4 months. You start to panic because you haven't done most of your homework, you are taking classes that don't line up with your major, and you need to cram the last bit of education you have left. Your thoughts are running wild, and there is only one thing to do. You need to take your education seriously.

5. "I guess a fifth year wouldn't be that bad."

Denial is the most interesting sensation there is. It's your friend, it backs you up, it agrees with you. But it is also the ugliest friend there is. You are starting to enter into a state of denial and potential compromise. You are graduating in a matter of months and need to succeed. You are denying that you need that degree to go forward. You deny that you have been in the "school bubble" and will be going into the real world. You deny that you have more responsibility now. You are clinging to the idea of staying in college-- maybe forever. You can't leave, college is everything.

6. "Let me live my life."

The paranoia of the future is setting in. You are going through an unavoidable change in your life. You are in school, you are learning, you are slowly entering into a new season in your life. People try to encourage you by saying, "you are ready for this change." And all you can think to yourself is, "Just let me live my life and figure it all out." Because the future is your future. JUST GIVE ME TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT!

7. "What now?"

This scary thought comes up as graduation is scarcely ahead. Reality is slapping you in the face. This is what you went to college for, this is why you got your degree. But are you really ready to start a career? Are you going to graduate school? Maybe what you want to do has nothing to do with your degree, now what? Now you are thinking that you probably should have thought more about your future.

8. "Done, just done."

I'm done with everything related to learning. I'm done looking at books, looking at my keyboard, and looking at people. I'm done with life and i'm done with thinking. I'm could not be more done. I'm just done. Netflix and my dog are the only things that matter to me now.

9. "Really? Why is this happening to me?"

10. "I'm going to suck it up and do it."

You have finally gotten over the anger stage. You have realized that your education does matter and you want to get your diploma on time. You are ready to move on.

When this is all over, you can do your sass walk out of there with your papers held high. Good luck with Senior year friends!