By: Jacob Creem

Everyone knows the feeling whether you like it or not. It usually begins with a sudden lack of motivation, which then manifests itself in nights spent surfing Instagram instead of studying or mornings spent running to Dunkin’ instead of arriving on time for the 8 A.M. school start. It usually begins in the spring, but sometimes can first be diagnosed in the winter. Oh, and might I add that it spreads like a pathogen, easy to contract from anyone around you. Senioritis isn’t your everyday cold; it’s more of a mental state that affects your brain instead of your body. 

As its namesake suggests, senioritis is most common amongst graduating high school and college seniors. As seniors reach the end of their years spent in school, they feel a “supposed affliction of students characterized by a certain decline in motivation or performance” as Merriam Webster defines it. It is currently the winter of my senior year at Beaver, which means the onset of senioritis is on the horizon, much closer than I might think. So, I made it my job to investigate some ways in which I could best prepare myself and my peers for the feeling. 

I began my search by interviewing some of my classmates on some of the ways they could best deal with senioritis. Matt McCabe ‘20 believed it was “all about proactivity,” a point I certainly agreed with. McCabe wants to try to get ahead of his work before he actually gets into a hole. “Honestly, once your own in the hole, that’s when the senioritis gets even worse.” While McCabe’s point certainly makes sense, I polled other peers of mine to get a better understanding. Sam Katz ‘20 mentioned it was more about “student and teacher relationships, especially in the spring term.” Katz honed in on how important it is to continually be checking in with teachers as a senior because they certainly understand the situation you are in. After all, they were probably in the same position years ago. 

To get a better perspective, I reached out to Beaver alum Nick Mordan 18’. Mordan believed it was more about self pride and confidence than anything else. “Don’t give up, really just don’t!” Nick exclaimed when I asked him what worked best. Mordan reminded me to “finish my four years at Beaver on a high note and not on a bad note.” Coming from an alum, these words were certainly helpful. From Mordan’s words I realized that while yes, senioritis may be inevitable, the best way to overcome it is through motivation and keeping your eyes on the prize of finishing high school. These are the goals that many students set out freshman year and should continue to abide by. 

With all of the feedback I received, I spent some time to formulate three final tips in order to alleviate the effects of senioritis. So, seniors pay attention, here are my three tips:

Be Proactive!

– Get your work done ahead of time. Senioritis will only get worse and the symptoms exacerbated if you are in a hole.

Teachers Can Really Help!

– Listen, your teachers are there to help out believe it or not. By no means will teachers provide extensions if Senioritis is an excuse, but any teacher you will have your third term will understand your situation. 

Summer Is Soon, Don’t Stick Your Head the Sand!

– After four hard years of work, there is no reason to end on a bad note. With only 6 weeks in the Spring trimester, push through and finish strong! Keep this mentality in mind!