Jennifer Jones is a teacher at Arlington High School and she teaches English 12 Honors and Dual Enrollment English, which is nothing but Seniors. “Senioritis means we are done! We have checked out mentally, and some even physically. We’re all just ready to get on with the next phase.”
“I had it when I was a senior, both in high school and college. It’s an absolute cycle, as the year goes through, you can watch it set in. If people haven’t already sunk into their senioritis by Q3, beginning of Q4, it almost always hits everyone at the end. It’s the end of the tunnel, and most people have already been accepted into their schools and gotten their money. They wonder why they’re here, thinking it doesn’t matter.”
Senioritis is defined as “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” If you ask any senior, most of them will tell you their senioritis has been hitting pretty bad throughout the year. “Some people just give up on their grades. It’s frustrating, because college definitely still look at final transcript. On my end, it’s the process of dragging people across the finish line.”
Ms. Jones knows how hard senioritis can be, she knows that it’s hard to fight. “[Senioritis] is definitely not preventable either. It can hit in lesser degrees, but never not hit. I try to offer a safe space for students and try to be encouraging. But, I try to still discipline my kids, since you need English to graduate.”
According to a study done by The Omniscient, 78% of high school senior experience senioritis nationally. However, a majority of seniors believe they suffer, but it has not taken a toll on their performance. “To fix [it], it requires a level on intrinsic motivation. It can be really difficult for students if things like external motivators are not enough to trigger that final spark of motivation. If a student isn’t in a space where they have the energy to even attempt to drag themselves forward, it can be really, really challenging. That’s when they need someone to look up to, or a teacher to push them to that final step.”
Ms. Jones best advice to offer to students is, “Do things that refocus and recenter yourself. Senioritis is hard to beat, but with the proper self-motivation and drive, any student can conquer that challenge. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, don’t be afraid to sit in that feeling, and don’t be afraid to do anything that pushes your boundaries and your limits.”
