So close to graduation yet so far from summer, there lies an ugly barrier for seniors: senioritis. By definition, senioritis is the decline of motivation in students marked by the end of an academic journey. While not everyone experiences senioritis, those that do know just how much harder it can make finishing your senior year.
Senioritis can show up in a lot of different ways. Students may struggle to get assignments in on time, suffer from chronic procrastination, or have trouble showing up for classes.
Student health ambassador and senior Jayda Galmer is no stranger to the struggles that senioritis brings. For her, it feels like “you’re too close to the finish line and you just lose motivation to keep going.”
So why do we feel this lack of motivation? The answer may be different for everyone, but it seems to boil down to knowing the end is in sight.
“Usually, you’re at the point where you know you’re going to graduate, so you don’t have the stress of having to do really well because chances are if you made it to the end of your senior year, you’re going to make it.” Galmer said.
Unfortunately, making it to the calendar end of senior year isn’t quite enough to get you through the finish line and across the stage. You still have to turn in those final presentations and pass exams in order for them to hand you your diploma. So how does one make sure senioritis doesn’t get in the way?
Media and communication professor, Dr. Michelle Flood, is no stranger to the senioritis blues. “If you’re a graduating senior, you’ve spent years being a student and operating in this one particular mode,” she said. “It’s tough to close that chapter, especially if you don’t know what’s next in the new chapter.”
She recommends that students talk to faculty and trusted mentors who might be able to help find solutions or additional assistance. “When I talk to students about senioritis, I try to help them get excited about all the work they’ve done in college and look joyfully to the future,” said Flood.
Galmer agreed, and also recommended talking to one of the counselors from the Health and Wellness Center. In terms of how faculty can help, Galmer says for them to “be understanding, especially when it comes to the higher level classes, knowing that students are kind of hitting their peak with college.”
If you find that talking through your senioritis struggles doesn’t seem to help, both Galmer and Flood have some practical recommendations for recouping at least some of that motivation.
“It’s tough to close that chapter, especially if you don’t know what’s next in the new chapter.”
From setting small goals and tasks each day to getting involved in extracurricular activities, finding time to have fun and make some memories are great ways to combat the senior blues.
“Think of college as something to enjoy. Although it can be stressful, there’s going to be periods of time where you look back at these years and you realize that you maybe took it for granted, and that it was more fun than you realized” said Galmer.
Just like there is no one way to experience senioritis, there is no one way to solve senioritis. If you have any tips for future seniors, feel free to let us know in the comment section below.
