“Senioritis” is a term coined from the idea that students in their senior year of high school decline in motivation and academic performance. For many McLean seniors, they find that this has caused them stress pertaining to their first-semester grades.
“I’ve had senioritis since last year,” senior Kyle Li said. “It does contribute to my stress because I hate doing school assignments because they are busy but unstimulating.”
Because mid-year reports containing first-quarter and second-quarter grades are sent to colleges that students have applied to or been accepted into, seniors must maintain their grades through the end of January. This has caused significant stress in addition to finishing college applications and waiting for decisions.
“I have felt a tremendous amount of stress,” senior Brianna Barahona said. “It is stressful just knowing that this would be colleges’ last look into my grades before they actually make my acceptance decision.”
For seniors, stress is not only due to grades, but also the uncertainty that comes with the college admissions process and the pressure of waiting for responses.
“I am more stressed about waiting for decisions to come out than actual schoolwork,” Li said. “Sometimes I’ll think of ideas or sentences that would have made my supplements stronger, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. I guess I’m stressed about things out of my control, so I really shouldn’t be.”
Teachers are aware of the pressure seniors face during this time of the year, especially as college decisions come at the same time as major deadlines and assessments. Many have made efforts to be understanding, flexible and encouraging, reminding their seniors how to manage workloads.
“Towards the end of the first semester, when I know grades are coming, that’s when I do more intentional check-ins to make sure [seniors] know when they have things missing because that is really when things start to count,” math teacher Evan Brandt said. “I also try to end the second quarter a week and a half before the actual end of the second quarter, so that way everything can get in on time without seniors having to stress that I’m not going to get the grades posted in time for them to send to colleges.”
However, seniors are hopeful that once the second semester begins they will be able to relax a little bit and focus on their college acceptances. The end of the second quarter offers relief, and the ability to finish high school comfortably.
“I believe I will be less stressed,” Barahona said. “I feel like, by then, I’m going to have heard back from colleges, and hopefully I will have gotten into my dream school.”
As the pressure surrounding applications and mid-year reports declines, many seniors look forward to enjoying the last few months of high school.
“After college apps are basically over, I feel free. I feel like I can pursue what I truly want to do without feeling like every action is towards a resume,” Li said. “I’m also excited to spend more time with the friend group I grew up with. We’ve had less and less opportunity to hang out as high school progressed and everyone was burdened by chaotic schedules and college apps. Hopefully we will all have more time to enjoy life a little more now.”
