It goes by a variety of names; senioritis, senior slump, senior syndrome. Regardless of what one calls it, according to a study from Omniscient, 78 percent of seniors across the United States experience this phenomenon. The legitimacy of senioritis is evident by the Oxford Dictionary, which defines it as, “a supposed affliction of students in their final year of high school or college, characterized by a decline in motivation or performance.” Hit with the likely reality of living alone for the first time while still facing relentless college admissions anxiety, it is important to examine how seniors are navigating mental health.
Undoubtedly, college admissions play a role in the mental health of seniors. Many seniors work three rigorous years for this college admission process. If students get accepted into their dream university, there is of course a sense of accomplishment; but afterward, there may be a sense of boredom as dreams shift to the reality of the next chapter of their quickly-approaching new lives. Quinn Baker ’24, who will be attending Boston College, explains, “Although I enjoy continuing to attend school, my effort level decreased and it all feels a little pointless.” Baker and many other students may enjoy the relief in knowing their plans next year, but many other students endure the anxious delivery of final decisions. Coupled with this uneasy wait is the up-to-date statuses of other students’ commitments. These constant updates lead seniors to compare themselves to fellow classmates, inadvertently envying them or leading them to question the credibility of their decision. Whether admitted or still waiting, college admissions undoubtedly have a significant influence on one’s mental well-being. One piece of advice CollegeData.com gives to reduce this stress is to “Dive into senior year.” What do they mean by this? It suggests that students should enjoy the present moment and not dwell on what might or might not happen. Afterall, you have most likely been looking forward to senior year throughout your whole high school career, so it is important to enjoy it. Remember, where you were admitted is not reflective of you as a person. As cliche as it sounds, it is important to enjoy the last hangouts, the last practices, and every last school tradition.
Besides these personal shifts in mentality, what measures can LM take to ensure the quality of senior’s mental health? Despite the adults’ advice to “savor your last high school days,” most seniors cross off the days till graduation. In order to keep seniors motivated, LM requires one final cumulative project. On May 3rd, seniors finish their regular scheduled classes and are given the whole month to finish a senior project. Projects are often diverse, ranging from going vegan for a month to building a cabin in a remote location. Students are encouraged to explore their respective interests by their desired means. But do seniors think this last cumulative project is an effective use of their last month of high school education? Esme Oxman ’24 has found that one shortcoming of senior projects is that “Many seniors have a tough time obtaining a mentor. I think that it is an amazing opportunity but if the school was able to provide more resources to find mentors I think the project would be more beneficial.” Some seniors like Vivian Orova ’24 view the senior project as a checklist item, saying, “I think that the idea of senior project is very effective, however, the amount of effort that the teachers and district put into the process make it feel more like a requirement than a enjoyable end of their high school experience.” On the other hand, some seniors consider the senior project as a route to improving mental well-being. Rather than sitting in mundane classrooms for the remainder of the year, Mihir Steingard ‘24 believes the Senior project is “one of the only opportunities you get in life to really explore something you are interested in without tough requirements.” Steingard suggests having a more optimistic view on the project is to your benefit, as he believes that “those who think of the senior project as a true experiential learning opportunity are motivated far beyond what they would be in traditional classes.”
With the stress of college admissions and newly approaching responsibilities, the end of senior year undoubtedly brings burnout and stress. Realizing you cannot control these extraneous components, and actively choosing to focus on the present activities is one strategy to managing mental health. Additionally, your mindset can affect your enjoyment in this final stretch of high school. If you see the senior project as a checklist to finish off high school, that is what it will be. But, if you take advantage of this unique time in your life, who knows what doors will open up?
