Can’t get out of bed? Not making it to class lately? Procrastinating on the paper that was due last week?
Watch out seniors, you may be suffering from a case of senioritis. As the spring semester draws to a close, seniors are finding it harder to finish up their work and head to class.
Symptoms of senioritis include laziness, lack of interest and the delaying of responsibilities. These signs may have started to appear as early as the fall semester for some seniors but, by springtime, many students have succumbed completely to these symptoms.
Senioritis has long been considered an imaginary syndrome. Many viewed the condition as an excuse for seniors to embrace some downtime and to party hard before graduation.
However, health officials have concluded that there is some truth in the condition and have even found a biological basis to back it up.
Because the last semester of senior year is like a waiting room for the next stage of a students’ lives, many emotional shifts tend to affect their performance. Students are placed on an emotional rollercoaster ride of job interviews and graduate school applications, hoping that the last stop of their journey is the right one.
Most seniors agree that senioritis has affected their motivation to do anything except head to the bar or a party.
Entering the ‘real world’ is a scary thought. Students try to fit in as much fun as possible before this happens.
Students are not just worrying about their future; they have anxiety about the past they are leaving behind.
“It’s not that I don’t want to do well my last semester here, it’s just that I’d rather spend time with the people I may or may not ever hang out with again. Sometimes you just have to think about priorities,” said Elaine Rooney ’07.
Besides worrying about their future and leaving friends behind, seniors are also thinking about financial obligations and leaving the security of Fairfield’s campus.
It’s a tough time for any student who doesn’t have a plan. Even if a student does land a job or is accepted into graduate school, the fear of failure is a thought that haunts many seniors.
“It’s hard to go to class, fill out applications and go on job interviews all in a semester’s time,” said Heather Keiser ’07. “I stress out just thinking about it, so oftentimes I avoid it and go out instead.”
Knowing that this all can be combated is half the battle. Instead of traveling down memory lane with friends, health officials stress the importance of living in the present. Keeping up with campus activities is one way of enjoying senior year.
As for getting to class, seniors should keep in mind that some employers and institutions request final grades.
Whether we like to admit it or not, there is a connection between academics and life goals. Slacking off at the end of the semester is no way to impress possible future employers.
Whether you’re headed for higher-learning or for the rigors of an office job, the college experience and the work ethic you practice will transfer over to your ‘new life.’
A dose of reality will cure any student’s senioritis.
Taylor DiGiacomo ’07 said she realized the importance of graduating on time.
“Going out during the week really effects whether I go to class in the morning or not,” she said.
“Staying in on a Thursday night to make my 8 a.m. Friday morning really seems to have paid off,” she added. “I feel pretty confident about my grades and know that I will be walking up to receive my diploma in May.”
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