There’s a certain shift that happens when the second semester of senior year hits. Alarms feel louder, assignments feel longer, and motivation becomes practically nonexistent. Around Olympic Heights, this condition has a name: Senioritis.

Senioritis isn’t a real medical condition, but it might as well be. It shows up in skipped homework, tardies, and the phrase “I can’t wait to graduate.” And while educators continue to push the narrative of working harder and working towards the finish line, many seniors feel as if they’ve already crossed it.

According to a survey sent out to seniors, over half of seniors experienced a severe level of senioritis throughout the year, with 68% of seniors reporting that their motivation has dropped since Aug. When asked how senioritis has altered students attitude towards school, Gabriella Yarosh, a class of 2026 senior, mentions, “Being a senior makes school less enjoyable, and this year feels more of like a ‘when can I leave and graduate’ kind of thing,” although the slacking isn’t necessarily about laziness. For many students around OH, burnout plays a significant role in the lack of progress. But for others, classes become less important as the focus shifts to college. “Coming to school feels so pointless sometimes,” adds graduating senior Eric Ciliberti. “It’s hard to maintain motivation when a majority of my teachers have little to no in-class work, or just make work accessible online.” Throughout years of balancing classes, extracurriculars, and college applications, seniors will inevitably be exhausted.

As many seniors continue to fall behind, Olympic Heights staff took notice. Mentioning OH’s stricter rules, most notably the new absence rule that required seniors to take a third quarter exam if they missed more than four classes, Rylie Child, graduating senior, says, “Senioritis is part of the experience of being senior; creating rules will not stop it, it will just make it even senior year more stressful and less enjoyable.”

Teachers, however, seem to have a different perspective on the growing issue. While they seem to have a minimal understanding of the creeping pressures seniors face, they also heavily emphasize the importance of finishing strong, noting that a slip now might mean bad results for colleges. “The end of the year is rough, and work is important, but seniors have way more obstacles than other students,” says Gina Woods, an AP Literature teacher at OH. Even teachers seem to admit there’s a change; the greatest shifts occur after college decisions come out. “I mostly noticed many of my students beginning to fall behind after being accepted into college,” adds Woods.

The effects of senioritis, however, can go beyond just grades. Missed assignments and falling behind most commonly leads to stress, especially when graduation requirements, passing AICE classes, and applying for Bright Futures are on the line. In some cases, colleges have even reconsidered admissions if final grades dropped significantly. Despite this, many seniors say the feeling is almost unavoidable. With graduation approaching, it’s hard not to focus on what comes next rather than what’s happening now.

So how can seniors push through? Some suggest setting small goals, staying organized, and reassuring that the end is near. Others say teachers can contribute to solving this issue by keeping lessons engaging and understand the unique mindset that seniors can’t seem to avoid. At the end of the day, senioritis is something almost every graduating class seems to experience, its exhaustion, excitement, and impatience all in one psychological condition.

The questions remain: Is senioritis contagious? Is it a psychological or placebo effect? Or is it something that starts on its own and comes naturally? One thing remains clear: As tempting as it is to check out early, the final moments of high school always count for our graduating Lions at Olympic Heights.