Senioritis is defined as a condition that strikes seniors in high school with symptoms of laziness, wearing extra-casual clothing, lack of studying, and excessive absences. Many students in West High School are currently suffering from senioritis; the only known cure is graduation day.

“It’s a real thing, it kicks in earlier for some kids than it does for others,” said April Christianson, a West counselor.  Senioritis is the feeling where seniors tend to slack off and lose motivation for school due to how close graduation is.  Some seniors feel there’s no point or reason to worry about putting full effort in schoolwork because they’ll be out soon and have most of their credits done so why stress and care anymore.  

Kassidy Ellingworth, a senior in West, will be graduating this coming spring, or at least she hopes so. Ellingworth says, “Senioritis is when you pretty much don’t care anymore, where you give up on school and life. You don’t go to school a lot, and you just don’t really want to be [at school].”

Many seniors throughout their senior year will come to school late or just not come in and will even miss some periods in order to get away from school responsibilities.  Some cases of senioritis are not so serious as others; students aren’t slacking much, they’re doing average, just minor symptoms hit them.  “It hit me the first day of school. Sometimes it hits people in summer or close to May, but I wasn’t having it; senioritis hit me the first day,” said Kyerra Boston, a senior, who will be graduating with the class of 2018.  Boston has had a successful school career, has had good grades for the past three years and continues to strive for greatness even if the serious case of senioritis has gotten to her.

Senior year is a laid back year for many scholastically, but can be stressful for those who plan to attend college in the fall.  Many will be filling out application for schools out of Alaska and for scholarships.  Although students get help from family and the school resources, many students have no idea what they will be doing after school and sink into a depression of their next move which in some cases can bring on the senioritis.

Christianson says, “Although senioritis hits students, they scramble at the end to raise grades, turning in assignments, realizing they need to get stuff done.” Seniors who have gone or are going through senioritis hope the best for their fellow lower classmen. Ellingworth says, “Do your work and just don’t be lazy. If you are, you’ll end up like me where I rush through assignments in order to turn them in and hope for the best grade just so I can pass.  Senioritis is real man. It hits on the first day of high school for many just like me.”

In the end, although seniors may suffer from senioritis, many manage to push through at the end because after 12 years of going to school, they’ve managed the skill of beating procrastination.