As the school year comes to an end the seniors can’t wait to be free from high school. As early as 2 months into the school year, students begin to suffer from Senioritis. Senioritis is a “disease” that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include a lack of studying, many absences, and a dismissive attitude, with only one cure known as graduation. Seniors all around the world are affected by this illness.

At Wayne Valley High school, Senioritis is taking many casualties. When seniors start the decline most of students claiming to have Senioritis are still maintaining As and Bs. Most teachers agree that it starts around the the end of the third marking period, give or take the few students who start at the beginning of the year. The difference is the amount of stress over assignments and the amount of effort they put into them. They begin to see the “light at the end of the tunnel” and get so distracted by it that their motivation plummets.

Most teachers at this school do not find it a problem, however, as much as teachers understand that it happens to even the best of students, it can be an inconvenience, frustrating and even saddening. From that point on, the teachers find it increasingly difficult. One teacher at Valley specifically thinks, “yes, it is definitely an issue, but a personal one, not one I think there should be measures taken to address. It’s less of a lack of caring about learning and more of an earned right to slack off after so much effort for most of high school. Though we don’t want to try 100% anymore, none of us want to totally bomb the last few months either.” Senioritis affects the student more than anything. They are allowing themselves to think that they have graduated long before they are handed their diploma.  

This disease does not come out of nowhere. There are many aspects leading up to this. Some include special events such as prom, their job, college acceptances, due dates for different colleges, deciding your major, placement tests, finding a roommate, or just no longer caring. Once these seniors get into college, they feel as if they don’t need to work anymore. They believe their time as a highschooler is behind them and they can now carry on with there life, except this mindset starts before it actually happens. Specifically at Wayne Valley, teachers believe more than half of the senior class, getting closer and closer to mostly everyone, is currently suffering from Senioritis.

All though this sickness is practically unavoidable for some students, the school year is not over yet and maintaining grades and attendance is still very important.