Senioritis is like the flu. As seniors we’re bound to get it sooner or later! While some already have a horrible case, for others it hasn’t even knocked on their doors.

“Senioritis is the procrastination and laziness that students experience towards the end of their high school career, using their status as a senior as validation,” said Azhar Moihdeen.

Daniel Santiago says senioritis has affected his grades in a very negative way.  “The more I don’t show up to class, the more I miss, the more grades I don’t get,” he said.

Beverly Paiz said it has affected her grades, but she manages to bring them up last minute.

On the other hand, senioritis hasn’t done much to Brianna Rodgers’s grades. “I genuinely like all of my classes this year. They’re either intellectually challenging or they’re fun electives like woodshop or chorus,” she said.

Advice

Few staff members at Miami High accept senioritis as an excuse for laziness. Senior counselor Mr. Cuevas said, “Just because you met all your requirements doesn’t mean you can graduate.” He adds that some students might even have to take classes in summer to graduate, in case they haven’t reached their credits or don’t have enough attendance. He advises students to try hard in these last 5 months, and to not throw away all the 12 years they have invested in their education.

Teaching Magnet Lead Teacher Ms. Berrios advises students to finish strong and to learn as much as you can because “college is a lot of hard work.”

Assistant principal Mr. Zabala said school attendance with seniors has been horrible since many don’t want to come to school and many have a lot of tardies. He warns that teachers can give students a NO CREDIT for excessive unexcused absences even if they may have an “A” in the class.

Not all teachers see senioritis in such a negative light. Yearbook and photography teacher Ms. Diaz said, “Senioritis isn’t always a bad thing. It can just mean the student is mature enough and ready for the responsibilities of life after high school.”

Triggered

Senioritis is triggered by many things, not just by being a senior. For Nicholas Brecha, Natalie Mandado and Beverly Paiz knowing that they are months away from graduating is enough to make them slack.

Some seniors say that the thought of leaving and getting accepted to college triggers senioritis. Brianna Rodgers said, “I have felt like I didn’t really have to be here anymore.”

Stress triggered Kelin Escobar’s senioritis. She is a very involved person in school, being a former class officer, current FEA 1^st VP and having about 9 APs. “Indeed, it is very stressful handling it all, especially with college applications to my dream school,” she said. Just like other seniors, after getting accepted to her dream school, she encountered the well-known “I’m already accepted into college so why should I still try.”

Daniel Santiago believes it is senioritis that leads him to skip class to be with his friend and girlfriend. “My time with them is a lot more special than just ONE class that will BARELY hurt my grade,” he said.

Avoiding Senioritis

Many seniors try to avoid senioritis because if you get bad grades the second half of the school year, a university can revoke your admission. As a result, Beverly Paiz tries to stay away from people who have senioritis.

Others keep their goals in mind. Nathalie Mandado constantly reminds herself that her dream college means everything to her and she mustn’t mess up her GPA.

Kelin Escobar reminds herself of why she wants to achieve: “Why have I given up so many years, sacrificing and dedicating myself to my education? I won’t let myself give up just when I’m close to the finish line. I want to graduate top five percent of my class.”

Some seniors stay organized. Brianna Rodgers said, “Everyone who knows me knows that I’m always losing my agenda, but once I find it, I’m right back on track and organized.”

Some seniors don’t stop believing in the importance of school. Because of that, Azhar Moihdeen always schedules time to do homework. Both Nicholas Brecha and Anastasia Rojas say they try to stay focused in class and avoid procrastinating on homework.

Other seniors, such as David Amador and Camilo Alvarez, instead of avoiding senioritis, just accept it as reality, but don’t let it control them.