It’s 2023; the year the current senior class has been waiting for since beginning school. The stress of piles of college applications, difficult classes, first-semester transcripts, and the final fall semester is melting away into spring. Finally, Seniors are able to take a breath- only to have to face the harsh reality of the spring semester and the appearance of senioritis. 

Senioritis- an affliction of students in their final year of school, characterized by a decline in motivation and performance. Sound familiar? For those of us who have been through the wringer that is a public school education, it’s all too real. Finished with applications and accepted into colleges, there’s no motivation to keep focused in our classes. Mentally, we’re living in our college town. 

Unfortunately, in reality, we’re not. With still 3 months left of high school, it’s important as ever to keep our heads in the game. Dropping grades can cause harm to final GPAs and, worst case, cause a school to rescind an acceptance. Yikes. 

It might feel like we’re going to be drowning for the rest of our lives, but that is not the case. So how do we get through this ever-persisting feeling of burnout? Here are a few useful tips to surviving senioritis season. 

• To-do Lists

In getting through the chaos that is finishing senior year and preparing for life after, to-do lists will be very helpful. There are many things to do before summer begins, and tackling too much work in a day can be overwhelming (something we are trying to avoid here!) 

Making these lists for days, weeks, or months is useful in dividing work over time and prioritizing what needs to be done. 

• Make a Calendar 

The key to avoid becoming overburdened is organization. Make a calendar with lists of deadlines with high school work, daily commitments like sports practices, work schedules, appointments, and social time. A calendar is a sure-fire way to make sure nothing slips your mind.  

A great way to make both to-do lists and calendars is using the website Notion, where you can create a personalized blog with links to keep everything together. 

• Set Goals 

Whether it’s to finish a big group project or the first page of notes, completing goals to accomplish will make you stay motivated. Completing the small goals is gratifying and allows you to celebrate the small things, and there’s nothing more relieving than finally completing a big goal. 

• Change Things Up 

Changing your work space can be a big motivator. I suggest taking your work to a secondary location like a library or coffee shop, instead of working at home, to eliminate distractions. 

Catching up on assignments or reading a required book becomes much easier in an environment with other people working around you. 

• Take a Break 

As seniors, we have a lot on our plates. If you feel like you’re crashing, it’s okay to take a step back. Overdoing work will only make you more averse to completing it in the future. However, don’t completely back away and set a limit on how much relaxation time you take. 

• Change Your Mindset 

When we’re deep into this burnout, it might feel like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. But sometimes the best way to get back that motivation is to realize that there is. We only have three months left of high school and then we’re home free. Instead of focusing on the pain of college applications and difficult assignments, imagine yourself at your top school. Remember why you are putting in all of this hard work and effort, and be proud of the payoff.