As seniors enter their last semester of high school, while many feel excited about the next steps after graduation, for others, it’s hard to stay focused on present coursework. For these students, it’s easy to catch a rapidly proliferating affliction: senioritis. 

“Senioritis is this sort of disease that seniors get either after term one or after college applications. I think some people even get it earlier, like as soon as senior year starts. It’s when we don’t feel encouraged to do school work since it doesn’t really affect us anymore,” said Sahith Edula (‘23).

Commonly seen in the spring after students finish up their college applications, senioritis looks different for each individual at Amador. Senioritis is especially apparent in the classrooms, with teachers noticing more of their seniors experiencing it. 

“I see an increase in tardies coming back from lunch. I also see a lot more students who will make comments about themselves like ‘I should’ve done the homework but didn’t feel like it’ or ‘I should be working on this but I don’t feel like it.’ Senioritis seems to be the name of an excuse at any time that students are maybe not as productive as they could be,” said AP Physics teacher Bree Barnett.

For Janet Xing (‘23), senioritis has been affecting her studies and her motivation to do her best. She sees many classmates around her experiencing senioritis at varying levels. 

“Senioritis is almost giving up but still just trying to do the bare minimum,” said Xing. “For me personally, I haven’t been wanting to do my work, and I haven’t been striving for the best grades. I’ve been going for (the) satisfactory (level). My friends have also been experiencing it but to a lesser extent.”

The last semester of high school for seniors is like lifting a weight off their shoulders after being burnt out from the past three years. Many seniors look forward to and feel excited about what’s coming next. 

“Students should enjoy their senior year of high school, spending time with friends who they may not see as often after graduation and enjoying all of the hard work they have put in. With that said, my advice would be to not neglect your grades. Colleges accept students based on grades from previous years, but most do ask for a final transcript. They expect the student will continue with the grades they have previously shown,” said career and college counselor Janice Wilson. 

There can be unfortunate consequences for seniors whose grades start to slip. While applications are over, colleges still require that students maintain their grades. When colleges receive the final transcripts, they could rescind their offer or even adjust financial aid packages to reflect the lack of motivation. Admissions officers are also known to look out for students that show signs of senioritis and will require an explanation for the poor grades. 

“While I think it is normal to be looking ahead and focused on what is to come, it can be bad when it causes students to lose focus on the present coursework and tasks needing to be completed before then,” said career and college counselor Kimberly Woodworth.

It’s important for Amador seniors to maintain consistency in their grades, especially with one semester left of high school. The burnt-out feeling arises from students’ busy schedules. 

“I know a lot of senioritis comes from being relieved, especially at the beginning of the second semester because they were going through all of the applications and are done with it. If they didn’t have as many applications, scholarship forms, or APs to worry about, maybe it would have been easier for seniors to maintain the same level of work throughout the whole year,” said Barnett.

To finish high school strong, Woodworth recommends setting goals and objectives, which will keep students engaged and foster a mentality that they’re working towards something. 

“Utilizing tools like setting timers for uninterrupted studying or homework time, with planned breaks between those timed sessions will help students sprinkle fun amidst tasks that are less desirable. I want to affirm students in their excitement and their preparedness for leaving AVHS but also to help remind them of the accomplishments they can still achieve before they go,” said Woodworth.

Senioritis may seem inevitable, but it can be tackled with the right attitude and motivation. Whether it be dividing studying into chunks or setting realistic goals, what matters most is the attitude of perseverance and leaving Amador Valley High School on a good note. 

“It’s your choice; it’s your life. You just have to be prepared for (the) consequences,” said Barnett.