August 14, 6 a.m. Most of the senior class stands in Acacia Park, some of them reuniting for the first time since May of last year. People are eating donuts, taking pictures, and ultimately processing the fact that not only will they have to go through another year of the Academy, but they’ll also be doing so as seniors.
The sun never rises. Well, it does, but it does so underneath a plethora of clouds and overcast sky. By 7 a.m., everyone’s already over it. They pack into various cars that are completely covered in writing, showcasing the excitement for senior year.
However, this excitement isn’t for everyone. For some, there has been a lack of excitement for years. As Caitlin Smith ‘24 puts it, “I’ve had senioritis since freshman year. I sometimes think about how nice it would be to just be in bed during classes instead of being there…”
Ah, senioritis. A time when seniors begin to slightly… give up. Whether it be because it’s their fourth year or they’ve sent in college applications, senioritis can greatly affect even the most productive and hard-working of students.
However, this seemingly catastrophic phenomenon is usually only reserved for second semester. First semester grades are the only ones sent to college, college acceptances (or rejections) will be coming in, and seniors are so close to the end that it doesn’t feel like there’s any real need to keep on trying.
I don’t know if it’s something to do with the Rosary Class of 2024, or it’s something I’m only noticing because I’m a senior myself, but I feel like senioritis, for many, is already kicking in. And for some, as seen with Caitlin, senioritis has been present for years.
Lianna Enright ‘24 explains it best, “If I’m being completely honest, I’ve had early onset senioritis since at least junior year. As much as I love seeing my friends at school, I have never wanted to stay in my bed so badly than in these first two weeks of school. You may think I’m being dramatic, but I would never wish this upon my worst enemy. If you need something to teach you true discipline, wait until the senioritis kicks in.”
On one hand, I have immense sympathy for the teachers. Not only is teaching hard enough to begin with, but having to try to convince a bunch of seniors that they should keep pushing themselves in April, let alone August, seems near impossible.
Mrs. Ward told me how, although it’s not bad, she’s starting to see signs of early seniorits, “This year I have not directly witnessed any sus activity, i.e. shopping for Hoco dresses in class, missing class for concerts yet, but many 2024’s have already declared their independence from homework, school, getting up early and college applications. All symptoms of pending senioritis.” And Madame Neumann adds, “All I can say is that I hope my seniors are able to stay with it and that each one can keep her eyes on the prize and not sell herself short where her potential is concerned.”
On the other hand, I’ve also begun to fall victim to the early stages of senioritis, and it is not a fun time. At least for me, it’s this weird, ginormous brick wall that’s preventing me from wanting to do anything related to school. Every time I go to school, it’s this slight dread and questioning if I should just pretend to be sick and stay home, even if there’s nothing I should be dreading in the first place. Every time I have an assignment, it feels like TikTok is just calling my name, waiting for me to truly come home.
Nevertheless, I would like to look at a more positive view on senioritis, or, in Grace Kaiser’s ‘24 case, lack thereof. Grace told me how she wasn’t feeling any of the effects of senioritis yet, saying, “I think it’s because it hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m almost done. It still feels like any other school year.” She did make sure to mention, however, that, “…once those college apps are in and I get at least one acceptance, it’s all over.”
Overall, it feels as if senioritis is hitting everyone pretty hard, even if we have many more months of school left. I feel like we’re all looking to the future, at everything that awaits us beyond Rosary and in college. Although I’m not really qualified to discourage looking ahead, I do hope that, for now, everyone can just try as hard as they can. Just keep on trekking through till second semester. Once senioritis season actually begins, I won’t lie, it’s all over.
