Have you heard of the biggest epidemic facing seniors in high school during their second semester? If you haven’t, it’s called senioritis. Senioritis usually hits seniors after they’ve already been accepted into colleges or have figured out what they want to do after high school. Many begin to feel lazy and feel there is no point in attending high school regularly. Personally, I believe this to be very true. I myself have skipped multiple days of school because I simply didn’t feel like going. I’m even writing this article at the last minute after pushing it off for a week.

Senioritis is mostly seen as a joke or excuse seniors use when they don’t want to complete boring tasks. Despite these assumptions, it is a very real thing. Many specialists see senioritis as burnout associated with constant stress, a decline in school performance, and a lack of motivation. It can take a big toll on one’s mental health.

Going into the second semester there are many ways to push through the senioritis and maintain a healthy mind. You should make sure that you listen to your mind and body. If you feel like you have too much on your plate and are too overwhelmed, take a step back and see what you must complete and what can wait. Take a break if you think it would relieve some stress. Make sure to stay organized. Keep a list of your most important tasks and homework. Knowing exactly what needs to be done can take some things off your mind. Talk to someone you trust. It can be super helpful to bounce your feelings off of someone. It can also help to remember that this is temporary. You won’t be in high school forever. You need to keep in mind that mistakes and failures are normal. Just because it is your last year doesn’t mean you should be perfect. Senioritis is just a mindset. It may be tricky to get out of but you will eventually.

Good luck to my fellow class of 2023! We’re almost there. Stay focused and present, you’re only a high school senior once (hopefully)!