Although the stomach bug is going around Wesleyan, Senioritis is catching up, taking masses of seniors up in its storm. Senioritis is a disease plaguing second semester seniors across the country. Although some have been infected since August, the disease is just now spreading throughout the entire Wesleyan senior class. The question is: will they make it?
For many students, high school is a journey that will never be forgotten. From a geeky, nervous freshman to an over-confident, worn out senior and everything in between, the high school experience is irreplaceable.
In commemoration of Wesleyan’s 2016- 2017 school year, two surveys were conducted: one was sent out to the freshman class, while the other was sent out to the senior class. The freshman survey, containing six questions regarding the current school year, collected responses from 55 students, while the senior survey, containing eight questions regarding the current school year, collected responses from 43 students.
Some adults would say senioritis is just an alternative term for laziness, but it is real, and it plagues the current senior class.
Brian Morgan, Wesleyan’s Director of Technology and father of senior Rachel Morgan, understands the struggle of senioritis.
“Senioritis is definitely real. Rachel is in bed at 9 every night,” Morgan said.
Senioritis is an illness that causes a decrease in motivation, and therefore effort in students due to limited time left in the school year. For most, this disease does not hit until second semester of senior year, but for a few, it started the day they arrived on campus this year.
For the majority of students, the lack of motivation comes because they have limited time left in the semester. Most people have been accepted into the colleges they applied to and because of this, it becomes extremely difficult to focus on school.
Senior Sam Laurite said, “I got into Wake Forest first semester. I do not have motivation this semester because of it. I never study, so I sleep, and now I get bad grades.”
Seniorities and procrastination go hand in hand. As the school year goes on, students begin to push off work to the night before, and then to the day of. A survey was conducted to see the results of senioritis on the current Wesleyan senior class. The majority of Wesleyan seniors are giving half of their effort or less.
Senior Nicole Fasciana said, “I don’t even take my backpack out of the car anymore.”
Many other students struggle to do work at home. Only 8% of Wesleyan seniors study two nights ahead of time, and 35% of seniors study the day of the test. The increase in procrastination has caused grades to drop significantly for 35% of the class.
Senior Hayes Laughlin “plays games in all of his classes” along with many other students in the senior class. The combination of not paying attention in class and not preparing for assessments is most likely the cause of grade decline.
Some seniors still have to give effort in classes because they have not been accepted into all their schools yet. Some schools take second semester grades into account when deciding who to admit into their university. Even these students are struggling to focus with graduation on the horizon. Senior have less than 100 days of school left, and the final rhythmic ring of the bell cannot come fast enough.
