Senioritis is common among most seniors these days. The feeling of knowing that what you do now has little affect on your chances of making it into college is putting seniors into a weak mindset.

For many seniors including myself, the drive to get things done is beginning to fade. What once powered these students to put all of their effort into their studies has been diminished and is replaced with a sense of entitlement to not put in the work needed to maintain good grades.

“I would say I am affected by senioritis,” said senior Sydney Ashcroft, “especially because most of my senior classes are very relaxed and low-stress, so it doesn’t affect me as much to miss a day or two. However, at the same time, I don’t think that this mindset is great for me as an upcoming college student.”

Another aspect of senioritis that comes into play is the difficulty of different classes. As a senior, most of the required credits for graduation are completed, meaning many more hours are able to be filled with easier classes.

“Senioritis doesn’t really affect me because I am taking so many AP classes,” quoted senior football player Sam Ardinger. “Although, my attendance has not been as good in other classes.”

Those who are taking more difficult classes in their senior year are taking on much more responsibility. While some colleges don’t look at your senior year when determining your admission status, it is never a bad idea to place yourself in an AP class that could help save you money in college if you earn college credit for the course.

“I am very affected by senioritis,” said senior lacrosse player Gabby Hendricks. “The first chapter of classes was fun, but now I am tired and bored and I am racking up the absences in my first hour especially.”

Taking easy classes is one thing, but completely skipping class is a totally different story. While it may be difficult to find the motivation to go to some classes, it is more beneficial to go than it is to skip, even when you know the class does not have any important meaning to your life at all.

Another side to the story would be how senioritis can affect athletes in their respective sports. While senioritis may slow down the brains of students in the classroom, knowing this is the final year of high school for some athletes can drive them beyond their perceived limits.

“Senior year has me excited for my sports,” states senior wrestler Luke Piotrowski. “This is my last chance to reach my goals.”

Many student-athletes will never see the competitive field again once they leave high school. This being their final classes is motivating many seniors to work harder than they ever have before.

“Senioritis does not affect my sports life,” said Gabby Hendricks. “I am really affected by going to school, but I still put in a ton of work into my lacrosse game.”

With many challenges standing in the way of seniors this time of year, senioritis is no doubt one of the biggest issues that seniors face in their final year of high school. For those of you who need advice to push through the “devastating disease”, you may want to take notes from Sam.

“What I do is remind myself that the classes I am taking will better me for college,” said Sam Ardinger. “The better I do, the more college credit I can receive.”