With second semester in full swing, seniors across the US are experiencing the ever-present phenomenon of senioritis; Jackson-Reed is no exception. 

According to the Oxford Dictionary, senioritis is defined as “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” Despite efforts from students and staff, there seems to be no stopping the spread. 

As we went on the hunt for seniors experiencing heavy symptoms of this phenomenon, we feared that, as we were conducting interviews during the school day, we would not find the seniors we were looking for. Those experiencing extreme effects of senioritis were simply not in school to be interviewed. However, the seniors we did find proved that while you may show up to school, your motivation might not. 

Paulina Stewart-Aday is definitely feeling declining motivation since last semester, as her current grades, as for all seniors, are not going to colleges. “My tolerance for what I find silly, unnecessary, or irritating is just so much more sensitive, and has gone down dramatically. I am just willing to put up with a lot less from my teachers and administrators,” she said. Though she believes her case of senioritis to be much less extreme than others, her patience is still rapidly dwindling.

Senior Avital Morris finds her motivation for the semester in exciting upcoming events, such as prom and of course graduation. Despite this, when thinking about graduating, Morris shared that “it’s crazy [and] I still feel like I’m a freshman.” 

While Steward-Aday and Morris find it difficult to stay motivated during the end of their high school career, it is not completely grim for us juniors; Stewart-Aday suggests finding something to keep us motivated next year, as “if there is any kind of reason to want to do the work, you’re going to enjoy it a lot more, and your life is going to be a lot better.”

Haron Ilyas, who ranks his senoritis a 7.5/10, preached a similar message, remarking that “the advice I give to any juniors [next year] is to lock in and have Tiger pride.” In terms of finding motivation for himself, however, Ilyas admitted that “it’s kind of over [for me], not going to lie.”

With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, the JR class of 2024 has begun to reflect on their high school experience. Although seniors Rory Frantz and Peyton Moseley have both enjoyed their time at JR, there are certain aspects of the school that they are happy to leave behind. 

Frantz said that she won’t miss “four [90 minute] periods every single day.” Moseley, on the other hand, said she won’t miss the bathrooms, adding that she “avoids them at all costs.” This was a common theme throughout our interviews—it appears as though no one will miss the foul stench and layer of grime on the floor. 

Regardless of these unique features, Frantz and Moseley still describe their senior year as their best yet. Frantz articulated how she will miss the high school environment, even with all the quirks that came with it. Despite the crowded hallways and the bustling atrium, she’ll miss the concentration of familiar faces. Moseley added that she enjoys having all her friends in one place, and will miss JR’s sense of normalcy that will be missing from college initially. 

Looking forward, many seniors feel ready for their next step. Though some still don’t know what they will be doing next year, many feel ready for the independence. Moseley said that she is eager to take unique and specialized classes and looks forward to having more freedom in what she learns about. Additionally, Morris expressed her excitement in pursuing a major in psychology next year. 

Many seniors said that they have been both nervous and excited about their futures, but as of late, the anticipation has outweighed the anxiety. Over the final few months of senior year, Moseley advises the class of 2024 to cherish each moment with both new and old friends. Moseley added that, “even though it’s my last year, I am just now getting close with a lot of new people. When I go to college I am going to have to leave them which is going to be really hard.” While we do not understand the struggles that come with senioritis yet, we are rooting for you class of 2024 <3