To all of the seniors out there: No matter if you are in your last year of high school or college, the end of your school journey is fast approaching. As scary as post-grad life can be, most students (including myself) are constantly overthinking what they plan to do after graduation. From applying to a buttload of jobs to furiously debating if higher education is the right call for future success, all of these worries come wrapped into the horrific condition of senioritis.
What exactly is senioritis? Well, the slang term is commonly used among high school and college seniors for a multitude of reasons, often manifesting as a sharp drop in effort and enthusiasm during the final semester. Zaria Towery, a holistic education advocate and higher education practitioner, describes the underlying symptoms and challenges that come with dealing with it. “Senioritis describes a decrease in motivation that secondary-level and beyond students experience due to various reasons such as academic burnout, declining mental health, disinterest in the academy and environmental factors,” Towery said. It’s more than just laziness; it’s a deep-seated reaction to sustained stress and the anxiety of the unknown.
Senioritis is often looked at as a debilitating condition for those who are about to set foot in the next chapter of their lives. Some students will feel uncertainty of their futures while others will procrastinate on what to do and may feel lost in return. However, there is a big difference on how high school seniors and college seniors suffer from a case of senioritis. For instance, high school seniors are faced with life-altering choices of either pursuing higher education, joining the military, or working full time. This pressure can feel immense, as they often make these major decisions with little real-world experience.
For college seniors, worries can vary from landing a job by graduation to managing finances in the current period of an inflated economy. They grapple with the expectation of immediate professional success and often the added burden of student loan debt. The anxiety is universal, but the specifics are distinct. “The stress and sometimes paralyzing fear of ‘what comes next’ after both high school and college ruminates in the minds of most students reaching completion at their given educational levels,” Towery said. “Graduating high school and college seniors begin to define what success after completing their education looks like for them and whether they will ‘make it’ in the next stage of their lives.”
If students don’t reach out for help, things won’t get better. This anxiety is not benign; it is linked to serious mental health challenges. According to the CDC, 4 in 10 students have reported experiencing feelings of sadness and hopelessness. Additionally, 2 in 10 students have considered attempting suicide. Outstanding factors like academic stress and perfectionism play a major role in the downgrade of one’s mental health, which can further silence the student from reaching out for support. The constant fear of not knowing what’s to come can be enough to severely hinder a student’s wellbeing, and negative outcomes can stem from it.
If a senior student feels that their mental health is becoming severely damaged, there are resources to use as a way to embark on a path of healing. “For high school seniors, I suggest first reaching out for guidance at home — at this stage in their lives, their parents’ or guardians’ job is to care for them holistically,” Towery said. “For college students struggling with feelings of loneliness and fears for their future, I suggest they connect with their campus’ counseling and psychological services.”
One of the most powerful tools a senior student can utilize is practicing radical compassion amongst themselves. At times when we are at our lowest, we tend to talk down on ourselves and forget how important our self-worth is. Especially when you’re being hit with emails and countless nights studying until the break of dawn, you’ll lack the clarity to notice what is wrong and how to approach it. Towery suggests that practicing radical compassion will help spot the weaknesses and strengthen the positivity of one’s self image.
“When students practice radical compassion, they can fully acknowledge and actualize their emotions, allowing them a better chance to process and move through their fears that cause the senioritis,” Towery said. “By boosting their self-image through small daily wins, students will then have evidence that they can follow through to completion at their current educational levels.”
Before crossing that stage and receiving your diploma, it’s important that you stay motivated. Look at it this way: you came all this way to receive something that will benefit you and give you a leg up for your future. However, you want to stay grounded and motivated for the final days ahead. Whether that’s attending weekly therapy sessions or spending time with loved ones, do what’s right for you and your mental health.