The term is now universal. If you have talked to a graduating senior in the past few years, you have most likely become familiar with the term “senioritis”. For those whose lives are sadly devoid of soon-to-be graduates, senioritis can be defined as one’s lack of motivation in educational endeavors due to his or her rapidly nearing graduation date. Funnily enough, senioritis is a bit of a misnomer. From a medical perspective, “senioritis” would translate to “senior inflammation”. Now, I know people who have some remarkably severe cases of senioritis, and none of them have experienced inflammation (even those who have self-diagnosed their homework allergy). A more appropriate name for the sensation would be “seniorosis”, meaning “displaying symptoms of being a senior.” This inaccurate title is more than enough evidence that senioritis has yet to garner concern from the medical community.
Despite the lack of attention it receives from health specialists, senioritis is a very real and widespread affliction, impeding the productivity of millions of students each year. Those who suffer from senioritis typically are brutally aware of their condition, and are not ashamed to discuss their declining motivation. Not surprisingly, parents and teachers are often alarmed by and disapproving of students’ acceptance of their senioritis symptoms. Luckily, I have good news: your senioritis is perfectly okay.
For the duration of our school careers, we as students have worked tirelessly to prepare ourselves for the next step. We exist in an education system that promotes progress along the timeline of life above anything else. Every other academic goal that a student would have ends up being secondary. As a result, once we have received that college or graduate school acceptance or have been hired for that first job, our objective has been completed. In our eyes, school has served its purpose for us.
That being said, senioritis rarely is a conscious decision. Students typically do not abandon all regard for their education after cementing future plans, and they usually still have some standard that they strive to meet. Senioritis is instead an aggregate of many small decisions, which individually would be rather meaningless but together display this lack of purpose and motivation. It starts small. Do I complete this physics graph at home, or do I hope I'm able to get it done in another class? Should I study for this government test? Then it grows. Soon enough I am moving the faculty lounge couch into my favorite teacher’s classroom during class.
So why exactly is senioritis so prevalent? The answer might lie in the psychological concept of cognitive dissonance, which is the state of having conflicting thoughts or attitudes, and the resulting need to resolve these conflicts. On one hand, seniors have a desire to succeed in their academic endeavors. On the other hand, seniors realize that their academic performance towards the end of senior year ultimately has little impact on their future. Students feel the mental stress caused by these conflicting attitudes, and they alleviate this stress by reducing the conflict. They reduce the conflict by compromising their desire to succeed in academic endeavors. Not only is senioritis common, but it is entirely natural.
In short, embrace your senioritis! You worked hard to arrive at senior year, and you will continue to work hard after senior year. Don’t feel guilty about that missed assignment. Go spend time with friends rather than studying for that test. In the end, it is the friends you make and the lessons you learn that will stick with you for the rest of your life. This is a distinctly unique time in your life, so take advantage!
