Senioritis is the idea that as seniors near the end of their high school career they experience decreased motivation, slack on work, and even start skipping school. While the effects may range from person to person, the impact is widespread and experienced by most in some capacity. But for some of the teachers, staff, and students at OSHS, there is hope for seniors fighting to maintain focus until graduation.
Seniors Wes Percival, Griffin Velardi, Colin Lee, and Everett Miller agreed that the effects of senioritis are widespread. Wes Percival had an interesting take on how to battle senioritis: learning how to procrastinate. Percival said, “It means knowing your limits and knowing when to start your work at the proper time… I can put it off [but it gets done in the end].” All interviewees felt that as the year went on they would be even more impacted by senioritis and feel less motivated to do work, and therefore anticipate dips in their grades as well. Furthermore, Percival also noted that while he is slightly motivated by the fact that colleges look at senior year grades, he believes those grades only really matter if he were to get deferred or waitlisted from a school.
Miller thought that senioritis is based on the idea that seniors are working on more than just school, saying, “You’re putting your energy into other things.” Lee, who added that the experience is different for people who plan to attend college after high school where they need their grades for application, said, “I’m going straight to the workforce, so I don’t really need it.”
Data shared by Associate Principal Mr. Plotkin and social studies teacher Mrs. Payne shows a clear increase in tardiness for the class of 2025 from junior year to senior year, suggesting that senioritis may be the cause. In 2023, from the beginning of the year to winter break, the class of 2025 had a total of 84 tardies to school. Now as seniors, that number has spiked to 158 tardies in the smaller timeframe of the beginning of school to December 10th. In addition, many seniors have first period study hall and do not come to school until the second period of the day. There are 108 recorded tardies for students coming in for second period from the beginning of the year to December 10th. The number of absences has increased as well. In 2023, the class of 2025 had 642 absences, defined as not being present for 4 or more periods. Now as seniors, there has been a 2% increase in absences within a smaller time frame, with a total of 762 absences between the beginning of the school year and December 10th, two weeks before winter break. Decreased attendance is a classic example of senioritis and may be the root of this clear change in absences.
Guidance counselor Mr. Perras said that students need to keep in mind that the year is not over and colleges will receive first quarter grades, midyear grades, and every student’s end of the year transcript. Perras also brought up scholarships: “The better your grades are and the better you are doing in school could increase your chances of receiving more money. At the end of the day it comes back to that incentive.”
When it comes to fighting senioritis, Perras said it can be helpful to break assignments into smaller, more obtainable tasks to decrease the chance that students will lose all motivation and also said that it is important to prioritize school tasks with other events and activities in a student’s life.
When it comes to his role in helping students as a counselor, Perras said, “It is a long year, and we recognize that but we are also here to help them . . . it’s important to meet with students and/or their families if you see that they’re struggling, just to help find strategies to benefit them if they’re in a little bit of a slump.” Perras said that he understands that students are tired and have been in school for a long time, yet he also thinks one of the factors that contributes to feelings of senioritis is anticipation for the future. “Whether they’re taking a gap year or going to college I think kids are looking forward to that new beginning; that fresh start, and have a different type of energy for it.” Perras emphasized the importance of finishing strong and getting to graduation, “Please reach out with any questions, we’re happy to help come up with any strategies. . . we want to see them do well; we want to see them enjoy their senior year without having any consequences.”
Chemistry and physics teacher Ms. Shearin has two classes with seniors, including CP Physics and AP Physics, and said that she sees senioritis in her students when they start to study less, not complete work, and try less, even if students are physically present. Shearin said, “I feel like it impacts all seniors.” However, she said that the effects vary greatly between her AP and CP classes. In her AP class, she sees less of an issue with attendance. While she said she doesn’t see the impacts of senioritis currently, she knows that after the AP test in May there will be a decrease in motivation.
When talking about her CP class, Shearin said that senioritis may impact their grades more towards the end of the year because senioritis takes full swing in the spring, and they will not have already finished their curriculum like the AP students. She did point out that there is motivation for seniors in the CP class to obtain a 90 or above so that they don’t have to come in for the final. Shearin said, “I see it more in them right now than I do in the AP class.”
Shearin shared that she works to remind students of their assignments and keep them on track, but ultimately it is up to the student whether they do their work. “It’s more about giving them everything they need to succeed, and then it’s kind of their choice whether or not they want to do it,” she said. In addition, Shearin said that she tries to motivate students towards the end of the year by incorporating fun projects such as making music videos and doing interesting labs.
Percival and Velardi shared a sentiment that other seniors typically feel: they know that school still matters but also know that this is their last opportunity to be with the people who they have known since kindergarten—an experience fairly unique to Old Saybrook. Percival said, “Enjoy your senior year, it’s a part of it…not everything needs to be perfect.”
It should be noted that senioritis traditionally has its biggest impact later in senior year, when graduation looms closer and many have decided on their next steps after high school. But with the impacts already taking its toll on students and their attendance records alike, only time will tell how the senior class will fare in the future.
The group of seniors agreed on this final message: “Give yourself some leeway, don’t make everything perfect, miss a few days, come in late, make some new friends, have fun, enjoy it. While trying to keep good grades and getting your work done… somehow.”
