As the school year gets closer and closer to the end, students, especially seniors, tend to burn out and get “Senioritis.”

Google Dictionary defines “Senioritis” as a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.

The knowledge that the school year ends soon can discourage a student from maintaining hard work in the latter half of the year. Seniors, in particular, are waiting for the end of their year to finally move on to the next tier of education or to other frontiers.

Senioritis is mainly caused by an awareness that a student is nearing the end of the year. Students realize they do not have to work as hard because their year is almost over, and they become less motivated. In many cases, “Senioritis” begins once a senior already knows where they are going to college.

Students may start missing assignments, flunk tests, and skip classes when burnt out.

Senior Elliot Lim has already experienced “Senioritis” despite being a very accomplished student.

“With all my college applications in, I have been feeling this. The accumulation of four years of high school. The feeling that the end is near. The release of three-four years of academic tension. It makes me want to let loose on the gas pedal and glide to the finish line,” Lim said.

Maintaining hard work and discipline for ¾ of high school can be an exhausting process by itself, and having to keep that up even when not essential can be difficult to do, a sentiment expressed by Lim.

“I thought senioritis was synonymous with laziness, but as a senior, I recognize that it’s just the result of being burnt out,” Lim said. “This gives merit to the fact that many people don’t predict “Senioritis” coming, and that when it does hit them, it hits them harder than expected.”

Burnout during the later months of the school year isn’t exclusive to seniors. Although seniors may suffer more significantly from burnout, juniors, sophomores, and even freshmen can lose motivation throughout the year. Junior Isaac Ha says that he also experiences dips in motivation.

“I am more burnt out than previous years, but I think it’s only natural that a junior preparing for college would be very busy and prioritizing studying over their personal life,” Ha said.

Ha also agreed with Lim’s statement that the very nature of school, especially high school, will involve burnout and overwhelming work.

Despite this, one can follow several remedies and tips if suffering from burnout.

One straightforward method is discipline. If a student has trained themselves in a routine or mindset to work hard, they can fall back on the healthy habits they’ve built up through that routine even when the finish line is in sight.

Students may also find it helpful to set reminders for themselves while working to keep trying their best despite whatever urge to slack off.

Another remedy is to contact a trusted adult, such as a parent or guidance counselor, for further advice and support on what to do when suffering from burnout. Help is always available to any student feeling too overwhelmed by schoolwork and personal life.

Lim and Ha have their own methods to overcome burnout.

“When I feel low motivation, I try to reflect on myself and determine where my motivation went. Oftentimes, I find that low motivation is a result of complacency or a sense of comfort in the present situation,” Lim said. “I see where I started and compare it to how far I’ve come and decide that to give up midway is just a shame after putting in that much work,” Lim said.

Ha has a much more physical approach.

“If I’m not motivated and won’t get anything done, I might as well take a nap. Managing physical health can be a great way to overcome burnout, especially when lack of sleep and studying are synonymous with students,” Ha said.

Senioritis can be very easy to fall victim to. It can be hard for students to see past the finish line, especially if that finish line marks the end of their high school career.

It’s challenging and straining to keep up a consistent level of hard work throughout a school year, yet there can be methods and ways to do this. Following these remedies can be a great way to maintain effort and motivation for the entire school year and cure your “Senioritis.”