With graduation fast approaching for some of us seniors, you may find that motivation is slipping away and deadlines are surprising you left and right. Those feelings of burn out are what some call senioritis, or the last way college tries to kick your ass after three or more years of prolonged suffering.
In case you’re worried that you’re falling into this vicious cycle of fatigue and panic, we’ve come up with a quick guide to help you diagnose yourself.
1. You are a gold star member of Procrastination Nation
If you’re finishing your assignments thirty minutes before the deadline or writing papers the night before, then congrats! You’re officially inducted into the worst club ever. Self-denial will last about a day, and then you’ll give in and accept your fate with bouts of “No, I can do this early” occasionally hitting you at random moments. Procrastination can become a way of life, and you have unfortunately drank the Kool-Aid.
2. The thought of schoolwork gives you physical pain
Physical pain as in the kind that induces episodes of self-loathing and hate for the world around you. Usually with this kind of hate and suffering, sweatpants and caffeine (in the form of coffee) are crucial for survival. Also, perfecting your resting bitch face so people will leave you alone is recommended. Sleep is an option, but not one that many get to enjoy because the pain keeps them awake at night with the Ghosts of Schoolwork.
3. You know more about your Facebook friends than what your syllabus says
We all love going on Facebook, but if you know all about your Aunt Gladys and her friends via their letters to each other on the comments section of your aunt’s status, then there’s a problem. Especially if you didn’t even realize you had a group paper to write in one class, but you know that Norma is going to the dog groomer to get Buddy a trim before her grandchildren come over.
Social media is a blackhole of distractions, and sometimes even the strong can get sucked in, especially during senior year. Set a timer when you go on Facebook, Instagram, or Snapchat so you don’t leave the blackhole to discover that five hours of your life are gone.
4. You’re counting the days until graduation
Don’t let anyone try to tell you you’re wrong about when graduation is. You’ve been counting down to this day since we got back from winter break, looking forward your future freedom. No more studying, no more tests, and no more dorms. Everything becomes worth it, because you have a diploma and nobody can take that away from you.
5. You care about nothing school related
What is school? If you don’t think about it, it doesn’t exist. If you don’t care about it, it can’t make you stress out. If ignorance is bliss, then avoidance and apathy are a caffeine and stress induced bliss.
6. Stress is your best friend
You know that best friend that you have a love-hate relationship with because they make you do stuff although you have to admit they make you do good stuff? Stress is that friend. You hate the feeling of stress in the immediate moment, but it does motivate you not to fail your classes because you want to stop feeling that sense of panic and unease.
If any of these six signs have resonated with you, then you may have senioritis. There is no cure, but there are some ways to curb it so that you can make it to graduation. Graduation is coming. Hang in there.