Senioritis

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In the year of so many negatives, there is one thing that is positive…

Senioritis, a common ailment, can be felt deep in the souls of students fighting their way through the last months of high school. As a Senior, myself, I am suffering from this affliction, like many Senior students before me. The urge to miss classes and just sleep in rings strongly on my mind each morning as I force my eyes open, open my computer, and attend my classes. 

I strongly believe this year students are suffering with an even more epic version of senioritis. Not only are we getting closer to adulthood, civic responsibility, and making our next chapter decisions, personally I have already made my choice and am preparing for that path, but we are also faced with finishing this journey in the most unusual way. On top of inching closer to the freedom of next year, students from all grades are having to deal with so much more. 

In a normal, non-covid year, many students would get out of bed an hour and a half early, find the perfect outfit for their day, brush their hair and teeth, eat breakfast, drive to school, wait for the bell to ring, and start the-then-normal school routine, which lasts about six hours. Then, for many students they would attend an after school activity, sport or club. 

However, this is far from a normal school year. Instead of a long prep period, many students literally roll over, grab their computer, log into Zoom and possibly fall back asleep. Though, this is not true for every student, there is a definite lack of the normal routine that we grew up holding for the previous 11 years of our schooling. Personally, I have fallen victim to waking up right before class and logging in, thus never leaving my bed before lunch. Many other students have grown accustomed to skipping class if they do not get in to Zoom on time. Due to lack of conversing with other students, I find myself finding other distractions, such as my phone, a nap, food, etc.

In the past senioritis has been known to cause a lack in motivation and this very same thing is happening now. Though at a much stronger pace. With looming future decisions,  many students are looking so much more forward that they aren’t seeing what is right in front of them, however, the challenge of seeing what we have this year is that as of right now it doesn’t feel like  much. There are no school dances, we don’t know when we will attend sporting events together. Many students go to school, and that’s it, others work, and a lucky few are still able to participate in sports at a competitive level. 

As with every year before us, the lingering essence of senior year is all that remains of our childhood. We seniors are descending on what we will do for our futures, for some college for 2-8 years+, others the military, others will dive head first into the workforce, some may just stay on their parents couch, but all in all one thing is for certain, every senior is facing the tiring feeling of being unmotivated and forgetting to cherish the last memories of our last assumed time together before we embark on our future adventures.