It’s that time of year when students are starting to dial it back and relax during the second semester of school.

Seniors, especially, have been having a hard time finding the motivation to finish high school. With only a few months left to go and college applications already finished, seniors are spending less of their time worrying about school and their attendance and instead focusing on having fun and enjoying a relaxing year.

 “I find that now, because I am a senior, I feel that my motivation has dwindled down,” Senior Isabella Santiago stated. “I have already been accepted into a college, so I no longer have to maintain my high grades, this fact essentially made me lazy to finish assignments and such.”

Coming from middle school into high school, students work their hardest to build up their GPAs and grades because they know all of their efforts will pay off in the end to get into the college of their dreams. As the years progress, students work harder and harder to maintain their good standing and get ready for what is considered the hardest year of high school: junior year. Junior year is known for being one of the hardest years for high school students because students have to worry about standardized testing such as the SAT/ACT and have to start researching what colleges they are interested in. 

Meanwhile, senior year is a bit different in the sense that students have a general idea of where they are going and their plans for college. The first semester is a bit tricky for seniors because they have to worry about application deadlines and scholarships due by the end of the semester. After applying and getting college stuff out of the way and transitioning into winter break, seniors can finally take a moment to breathe and relax. The real problem starts after winter break. Students feel less motivated to indulge themselves in school activities and actively participate in class.

“I’m definitely feeling the senioritis kick in, especially after coming back from winter break,” Senior Nikita Agnihotri said. “With college apps done and few high school responsibilities left it’s hard to find the motivation to do anything besides relax and spend time with friends.”

So, how does this affect the lives of seniors coming into their second semester of school? While many believe that because they have already submitted all their college applications/have gotten accepted into schools, skipping a mass amount of school days and not putting much effort into school could reverse all the hard work you put into the past three and a half years of high school. Your high school could contact the schools you have applied to and make them reconsider accepting your application. 

As important as it is to enjoy your senior year, it is also important to continue working hard to finish high school off strong and begin a new chapter in your life with no regrets!