As college acceptance letters have begun rolling in for the class of 2023, a wave of senioritis is sweeping across high schools. Senioritis, or a lack of motivation in seniors often characterized by minimal attention and missing assignments, is reaching its peak at this time of year. With the second half of the school year underway, Senioritis is apparent in all shapes and forms amongst our senior class.

After years of hard work, many believe it’s absolutely important for seniors to take time to relax and live out their final months of high school the way they want to.

“I for one feel that many of my friends and I have gotten to bond closer because we are not as focused on our school work. We share more stories, and we go out for food more than we ever did throughout high school,” said Abdullah Rizvi ‘23. By shifting attention away from maintaining a high GPA, seniors are able to form stronger bonds with their peers before parting ways for college. After spending years pouring over textbooks, senior year can be used as an opportunity to fulfill those high school dreams and mentally rejuvenate to prepare for the future.

“Especially in junior year, I was so focused on getting a good GPA that I even isolated myself from friends. However, I want to enjoy my last moments in EHS with people that I may never see again,” Sahana Ali ‘23 said.

The COVID-19 pandemic also had an impact on the way the class of 2023 has perceived their senior year.

“After losing most of my freshmen and sophomore years to quarantine, I faced more struggles throughout junior year, trying to get used to being in person again. This year, though, I’m already used to the workload, so I’ve laid back more and spent more time having fun with my friends and family, while still keeping up with school, of course,” said Evin Maciel ‘23.

With only two years of high school experience in-person, the class of 2023 faced challenges future classes won’t have to experience. Still, this year is no different: While many take senior year to focus on getting into colleges, some students decide to look for new opportunities to get jobs and make use of their time.

“The last few years, I didn’t feel like I was doing anything. But this year, I got a job and, even though I haven’t focused on school as much, I know that the time I’m putting in has a direct output and I’m getting new experiences,” said Connor Moore ‘23. The path is forked for seniors: Get started with a job early and gain work experience, or wait for a college education and look for more opportunities. Either way, work must be put in, and a true case of senioritis can be detrimental to all opportunities.

“Even though I’m laid back more, I know it’s important to keep working hard. I put in all this work into high school, and I’m going to finish out strong and make it all worth it,” said Maciel.

Undoubtedly, a case of senioritis has many unfavorable effects. Although feelings of demotivation kick in during the last few months of the school year, poor performances in classes and extended absences in school can—worst case scenario—lead to colleges rescinding your acceptance and, in some cases, the need to redo a year of high school. While a simple break may relieve school anxieties at first, developing a case of senioritis only delays and piles up work, pushing off the inevitable.

“I’m able to make deeper connections with friends since I’m making more time to hang out, but I feel incredibly stressed out when I have to make up school work I procrastinated about or when I have to study last-minute for tests,” said Ali. As noted by Rizvi and Ali, it’s important to find a compromise between relaxation and responsibility, especially for EHS’ hardworking seniors, and to use such balances to make school life enjoyable and easy to keep up with.

Although senior year brings added pressures to high schoolers trying to relax in their final months of high school, the rigorous workload is sometimes needed for seniors. As they approach the college level or work level, these stresses will only increase.

“I think senioritis is good when it is controlled. It’s a part of the high school experience and it’s something fun for seniors to take part in and honestly we kind of deserve it after going through high school, but we need to have our priorities straight, too,” said Rizvi.

While taking a slight break from school work is well-deserved, seniors are greatly encouraged to stay motivated and finish high school strong to ensure their bright futures remain promising and to ensure we see them at Jersey Mike Arena on June 22.