By now, every high school senior knows this feeling. The college applications are in, no more SATs, and the mental countdown to graduation has begun. What once was a desperate race to build a perfect transcript suddenly slows to a crawl, and any sense of motivation seems to have dwindled. This phenomenon, widely known as senioritis, has been blamed for the missing homework, skipping of classes, and a general decline in any academic effort during the last semester of high school. While some argue it’s a natural response to several years of pressure, others see it as an excuse to slack off. But whether it is real psychological burnout or just a convenient excuse, one thing is certain: senioritis is alive and heavily shaping the final months of our high school careers.
In this article, we discuss the following question:
Is senioritis justified, or is it an excuse to be lazy?
Support: Senioritis is justified and should be taken seriously!
1. Students deserve to enjoy their last few months of school.
For most seniors, high school has been a nonstop cycle of homework deadlines, tests, and other responsibilities. By the time the second semester rolls around, students should take the well-deserved break to enjoy parts of high school they were too busy to appreciate before. Many seniors like to make memories before they go their separate ways, through activities like spending time with friends, participating in fun clubs, or even being in class for the sake of learning (not for the grades). Senior year should be about more than just finishing homework assignments; it should also be a time to celebrate the experiences that won’t be the same after graduation.
2. Not every class needs to be taken seriously.
By the end of senior year, students have a pretty good idea of what they want to do next, whether it’s attending college, or getting a job. While core subjects still matter, some assignments feel like unnecessary hoops to jump through (often called “busy-work”) rather than meaningful learning experiences. Not every senior is going to need to use calculus in their future career, and not every essay is make-or-break when it comes to training better thinkers in the future. Giving students a little bit of leeway to prioritize things that actually interest them—whether it’s learning all the countries on a map, completing New York Times crossword puzzles, or finding creative projects—is not slacking off, it’s prioritizing what matters to them. Instead of expecting every senior to treat every class with the same level of intensity, schools need to recognize that by this point, students can make their own choices about what’s worth their effort.
Opposition: Senioritis is just an excuse for laziness!
1. A transgression on duty and responsibilities
Yes, of course senioritis is understandable considering how close seniors are to the finish line. But that doesn’t make it justified. Teachers work night and day to educate IHS students, making senioritis pretty disrespectful. In addition, many IHS students are heavily involved in extracurriculars (sports, clubs, etc.) Ignoring those responsibilities is unfair and robs non-seniors of strong leadership. We have the great privilege of living in a country where we are guaranteed the right to a public education. To throw that gift away is inconsiderate of those less fortunate.
2. Mental stagnation
So you’ve just decided to slack off, leave a couple of homework assignments unfinished, and maybe sip matchas by the pool instead. The price of your academic negligence is an incoming mental fog and a lack of intellectual curiosity. Exerting your brain keeps it running, and while a break here and there can certainly provide value, months of stagnation lead to ineptitude and sluggishness. Even though senioritis might seem great now, your future self will thank you for keeping your brain turned on and engaged. Going to college is a tough transition for many high school students, made all the more difficult by their lack of preparation in the final months of high school.
There are several other reasons why one might think senioritis is justifiable, as well as reasons to think of it as an excuse for laziness. What are your thoughts about “Senioritis At Its Prime”? Go to<https://bit.ly/CTApr2025> or scan the QR code and tell us where you stand! Votes are collected until April 25, 2025, and results will be released in the May 2025 issue of The Tattler.
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