Ever wonder why some of the seniors in school always seem tired? Or maybe why they never do homework and even skip class all the time? It very well may be due to an infamous condition named senioritis.

What is it?

All juniors look forward to their famed senior year, yet they don’t realize the darkness behind it known as senioritis. English teacher Ms. Puentes, who has taught seniors for many years, claims, “Senioritis is a deadly condition that affects seniors right before Christmas break.”

Current senior Cassandra Cardenas adds, “Senioritis is when seniors start to lose the drive to continue working hard in classes since graduation is so close.”

Common Symptoms

Like all medical conditions, senioritis has its trademark symptoms. “Procrastination, antipathy, dropping grades and a lax attitude” are the signs that senior Bernardo Castro watches out for.

Senior Diego Reyes calls his symptoms the 3 S’s; skipping, stress, and sluggishness.

Although not every senior has senioritis, they all should be worried about contracting it since it is deemed contagious. Senior Stephanie Aguilar states, “My friends are always making plans instead of doing their own homework, so I have delusions of having enough time to do both, yet I never get to actually do my homework.”

Ms. Puentes adds that social media such as Instagram and Twitter make senioritis more contagious as it reaches a larger volume of students instantly and provides them a place to fester in their laziness.

How do you catch it?

There are many ways to catch senioritis. Senior Randy Rivera says that it starts when seniors realize that nothing is important to them anymore. Senior Mark Granados warns, “You don’t catch senioritis. Senioritis catches you.”

Senioritis has many negative effects. Senior Isabella Pujol mentions that your grades, attendance, and even health can all worsen.

“We send their last transcripts after graduation, so if they slacked towards the end of the year, they could have admission or even scholarships rescinded,” adds 12^th grade counselor Ms. Blanco.

How do you treat it?

Treating senioritis can vary from case to case. Senior Gabriella Barraza believes, “Senioritis can be fixed if you get your priorities straight or realize that you won’t graduate if you keep slacking.”

On the other hand, senior Carlos Moreno thinks that you can’t do it on your own, claiming that administrative involvement is needed to really give the seniors a reality check.

Even then, some seniors like Diego Reyes are convinced that it can’t be cured and will come to an end when you graduate.

How can you avoid it?

Although senioritis can be a very dangerous condition, there are some ways you can prevent yourself from succumbing to it. Ms. Blanco advises, “You must have a good sense of responsibility and maturity. Also, be very careful who you hang out with since they influence you.”

Senior Angel Sousa suggests that seniors just keep their eyes on the prize: graduating after 12 or more years of school.