"Senioritis": Is it Something that We Can Avoid?
Senioritis, AKA Senior slump, AKA "Get me out of here." Is this something that we can avoid?: A blog looking at the mental development of teens as they approach graduation day and how you can mitigate the negative effects of this first major life transition.
There are many seniors who do just fine during their last year of high school, but unfortunately, many soon-to-be graduates seem to come down with a case of “senioritis.” While senioritis may not be a deadly disease, it can certainly have enough negative symptoms to potentially harm one's educational future. Whether you had it or not, it is important to understand what a senior may be thinking or feeling if you attempt to find a “cure” for their senior slump.
Senioritis can be caused by a number of issues: the pressure a student is under to choose a college, the reminder that these may be some of the last months spent with their high school friends, anxiety from the thought of moving away from home, the feeling their classes are not applicable to the situation they are in, considering their future career, excitement about a new start at a college, or a myriad of other thoughts, feelings, and stressors. Seniors are approaching the end of a path with many life-changing options at an age where they likely lack experience in making such big decisions.
So how do we go about dealing with it? Here are some ideas…
The Student
If you are a student who is restless or anxious about what the future holds, then the first thing you should do is look to God’s Word. There is peace in the promises we read in the Bible and if we hold fast to Jesus’ words to “not worry about tomorrow” and to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matt. 6), then we can receive both comfort and direction. While it is common during this time for peers to neglect their studies in order to spend more time socializing with friends, be a good example to your classmates by encouraging them to stay focused, keeping them accountable to their studies, being a friend who listens to them, praying for fellow students who feel they are in a rut, and create positive peer pressure to help others finish well.
The Parents & Teachers
Because every person experiences life in their own way, the symptoms and reasons for a student’s senioritis may be different, but whatever the case may be, showing you care can be a big help. You can convey your support by asking questions about their plans, helping them weigh out their options, listening to how they are feeling, giving ideas of how they can make the best use of their time while still a senior, and of course by guiding them with Biblical wisdom. Proverbs 22:6 reminds us to “train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old he will not depart from it.” If the student has the word of God instilled in them, encourage them to continue living according to God’s word, and run with perseverance the race marked out for them (Heb. 12:1).
The School
Juniors and Seniors at the Academy take a “Directed Studies” course as an opportunity to apprentice and develop a skill set related to their field of interest. The course is a guide to serve them as they make decisions about their education and occupation following high school.
The educational institution your child is enrolled in plays a big part in ensuring engagement during these last months of school. The students’ minds are where they are going to be after graduation, and if the classes they are in are not preparing them for the upcoming life transition, then don’t be surprised if they tune out. Schools should be helping students find their strengths and help expose them to potential career fields or livelihood options. The curriculum should take into consideration these major choices the students are approaching, so as to mentally and spiritually prepare them for the changes that will be happening. This could be done through questionnaires that have them consider their fields of interest, discussion times to help them process the reality of living away from home, internships that expose them to future job possibilities, social activities to ensure they are making positive memories with their friends, and Bible encouragements to fill them with God’s word so that if any storms come, they will not be shaken (Matt. 7:24-25).
For more ideas on how to approach students with senioritis, take a look at these articles:
Sources:
Roggeman, Dr. Pamela. “How Parents and Teachers Can Help Combat Senioritis.” College Express. 24 September 2020 (visited 28 March 2022).
Pickhardt, Carl E. Phd. “Finishing High School and "Senioritis" (Academic Letdown).” Psychology Today. 14 January 2013. (visited 28 March 2022).
Desautels, Lori. “Senioritis -- or an Opportunity for Growth?” Edutopia. 19 December 2013 (visited 28 March 2022). https://www.edutopia.org/blog/senioritis-or-opportunity-for-growth-lori-desautels
Patel, Shaunak. “The Dangerous, Costly Phenomenon (That Only Affects High School Seniors).” NYU Steinhardt. March 1, 2017 (visited 28 March 2022)
https://counseling.steinhardt.nyu.edu/blog/high-school-senioritis/
