Advice Angel

Dear Advice Angel,

I am currently a junior and I would like to know about the new issue surrounding the senior class, aka your “senioritis.” I have heard this used commonly all throughout my life and I was wondering, is this disease real or is it simply a placebo effect? In addition, what is the cause of this disease and can we prevent it? Any advice will be great.

Sincerely, A Concerned Classmate

 

Dear Concerned Classmate,

I am here to tell you as a senior that yes; “senioritis” is indeed real and a grave concern slowly taking over the senior class. I mean we have all heard about senioritis in any shape or form. Some people even claim to have it from the end of freshman year, but there is really only one case of “senioritis”. It does not differ in types like the flu or in viruses like the common cold. So, what is “senioritis”?

Webster dictionary defines senioritis as “an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidenced by tardiness, absences, and lower grades.” Yes, this may seem accurate on a superficial level. I mean no one can deny that seniors out of all the classes tend to have the most tardies or GPA drops. However, past this outer layer, there is so much more to this issue, not just seniors “giving up”. Let us hear from the recently voted Worst Case of Senioritis, Elena Farquharson, on how she would define the word. “Not caring about anything.”  As you can see, it is maybe not that seniors have given up, but that they feel no drive, no passion towards their education.

Senioritis is not just an effect; there is a cause to this disease. Simply put, seniors are tired. After four years, they feel like they deserve a break. Seniors begin to feel overwhelmed and underappreciated after years of hard work and effort. After you work so hard, there should be a certain point where it is rewarded, right?

“Hard work pays off.” All of us know this, but is it really being put into context at Sacred Heart Academy?

Sacred Heart has provided the senior class with a loving, caring environment that has pushed them only to do their best. Some people argue that this in itself has paid back the girls for their hard work. They did not expect only work out of each senior, but helped and cared for them along the way. The assumption that the motto of “excelsior” or reaching ever higher stops after you are accepted into a college is wrong. Sacred Heart has taught their students that excelsior does not stop, but should reach into every aspect of the student’s life. Speaking of paying off, where do college acceptances fit into this equation?

Schools can argue that it is only through them that each girl was able to excel and get into the college they wanted. Sacred Heart has put time and resources into each girl, including the guidance department, after-school hours, endless clubs and research opportunities, etc.

Students argue that it is only through their hard work that they can be accepted into these great colleges. Hard work and determination are not something that can be taught in a classroom or something an administration can force a student to do, it is completely on the student’s behalf to instill these values. Therefore, their grades, their extracurriculars, and even their college essays, all reflect them, perhaps not what their school has done for them.

As you can see senioritis is not just seniors skipping class or failing a test because they were not bothered to study, but also rather a feeling of being misunderstood and overwhelmed after years of hard work. I sadly believe that there is no way to prevent this disease it is inevitable. Hard work does pay off; the senior class continually is getting into great colleges and have a world of opportunities at their fingertips. On the other hand, maybe the senior class should stop worrying so much and switch their focus from grades to the great memories they are yet to make as a second semester senior.

Apologetically,  Advice Angel