As I rose from bed at 8:30 after skipping yet another one of my first-period classes, I read a quote that I felt summed up my senior year perfectly. “If you have one foot in the past and one foot in the future, you’re pissing on the present,” – Malachy McCourt.
Let’s be frank, seniors: this year has been kind of rough! I’ve found myself in emotional limbo between feeling sad over my class of ‘23 friends leaving me for college, feeling anxious about college decisions, and feeling completely unmotivated for school. Reminiscing over last year and constantly stressing about next year has left me utterly pissing all over the present!
The name of the game? Senioritis. It sucks. Fortunately, though, it’s pretty universal. That’s why we felt compelled to share this guide on coping with senioritis. Here are our best tips and tricks for handling this year.
Tip #1 – enjoy the moment.
Although predictable, corny, and seemingly impossible, the best way to cope with senioritis is to enjoy our last days of high school. Andy Bernard from The Office once said, “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.” Well, here is us telling you: you are in the good old days!! Appreciate your friends who you may not be as close to in college. Appreciate the amazing teachers who you’ll never have the opportunity to learn from again. Appreciate the sports and clubs that you’ve dedicated your last four years to. It’s likely you’ll never walk these halls again after June, and it’s certain that nothing will be the same as it is right now, so take advantage of it.
Tip #2 – stop taking it so seriously
Maybe counterintuitive, but giving in to the lack of motivation isn’t actually the worst thing. The second semester of senior year is one of the least important times to excel academically, especially if you’re already accepted to colleges. If you’re already committed to a school, here’s a little secret: when schools ask you to “maintain the same level of academic performance blah blah blah” on your enrollment agreement, all that really means is to finish your classes and don’t fail them. Let’s be so honest here, the grade inflation at Park City High School is pretty insane. It’s hard to fail. So stop pulling all-nighters studying and do the bare minimum! Turn in your assignments, but stop killing yourself over making them perfect. The letter B is my new favorite letter, and it should be yours too!
Tip #3 – get excited about your future
College is scary and opening decisions is terrifying. Getting accepted or rejected is literally the one part of the process that is entirely out of your control, so stop thinking about it. Focus on everything that you can control.
- Dorm prep
For example, I’ve been really into planning out my dorm. There are thousands of YouTube videos about packing for college, dorm essentials, move-in vlogs, etc, and they’re so stupid but so awesome. Online shopping for college is also so awesome. Get a head start on the daunting move-in process!
- College friends
This one only really applies if you’re committed to a college, but start making friends on social media! Most colleges have an admitted student page on Instagram where you can meet other students going to your school. They probably won’t be lasting friendships lol but it’s really fun meeting new people.
There are a little over four months until the class of 2024 graduates. It feels like an eternity, but there are only four months, two quarters, or one semester left of our high school careers. Let’s make the most of it.
