Senioritis: “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” (definition from oxforddictionaries.com)

For those of you who know me, it might seem ironic that I am admitting to slacking off a bit.  For those of you who do not know me, I am an Honors/AP student who has always put all of my effort into every assignment throughout high school. Therefore, I am living proof that even the most academically inclined students suffer from the so-called disease.

1. Warning Signs:

• Exhaustion- You feel more tempted to spend entire days in bed.
• Loss of mobility when it comes to anything school related- You don’t even want to get off the couch to get your backpack.
• Seeing everything as a distraction- You can’t look at a text message without scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and even CNN just because they seem more interesting than what you are doing at the moment.
• Constant need to check the clock- In school, you find yourself staring at the clock for extended periods of time, practically counting the seconds.
• Inability to read something longer than a few sentences- It seems nearly impossible to get through a paragraph, let alone your AP Literature book.
• Constant daydreaming about the future- Whether you’re thinking about all of the sororities you want to join or the courses you plan to take in the coming years, your mind frequently drifts away from the present moment.

2. Acceptance

If you experience one or more of the above symptoms on a regular basis, it is almost guaranteed that you’ve come in contact with senioritis.  But have no fear!  In order to recover (in this case, making the best of your last few months of high school), you first need to admit that you have a problem and realize that you are not alone.  Just know that what you are experiencing is normal and common.  Even teachers begin to understand why so many students are suddenly late to class, if they even bother to show up.

3. Coping (finding a happy medium)

While I am not suggesting that you completely drop all of your former obligations, I do believe that toning it down is more than acceptable. Now is the time to enjoy yourself with friends and family before you go away to college.  You have worked hard the past three and a half years and are probably quite burned out.  That being said, you should still go to school and continue your activities in order to make each moment worthwhile.  Do not throw away your past three years of grueling effort, but make living your priority rather than getting perfect grades or worrying about the next exam.  Life is short so it’s important to make the most of each day.

If you take one thing away from this, keep the following tips in mind for an enjoyable second semester of senior year:

• Don’t let the past three and half years of hard work go to waste
• Establish fun activities to look forward to (plan a family vacation, go to your favorite lunch spot after school, or see a new movie with friends)
• Allow yourself to take breaks (we all need some alone time once in a while)
• Keep your future in mind, but don’t forget about the present (live each day to the fullest in your last few months of really being a kid)