If you’re a senior, you know how stressful it is to deal with your college applications in your first semester. Studying for the SAT and/or ACT, getting letters of recommendation, and writing those oh-so-important personal statements. However, your senior year is NOT over after your first semester. Just because you are done with the hardest part of your senior year, doesn’t mean you have graduated. In many cases, seniors are even rejected by colleges that they were accepted by because they slacked and failed in their calculus class. “I just half-heartedly do things now,” said Raina Williams (12). “I stay up real late, and I almost fall asleep in class sometimes,” added Theodore Alevizos (12). Another senior stated that “I get lazy, and don’t really try as hard,” said Kenya Palma (12).

Even teachers pick up on this. Mr. Stone, BCCHS math teacher said, “Students realize they won’t be in high school much longer, so they end up focusing on their social lives more than their academic lives.” No one wants this to happen to themselves, so here are three steps to help you prevent the horrible disease, senioritis.

1. Do not push responsibilities away, EMBRACE THEM: Lazy seniors are hard to convince to accept their responsibilities, but your own future is at risk. Always keep yourself busy with something. Whether it is drawing, biking, hiking, or reading, it is always good to keep your brain working instead of mindlessly watching videos on Youtube, sprung across your bed. Hanging out with your friends is fun, but it isn’t exercise (unless it’s your work out buddy); therefore, you should spend your free time with your friends responsibly.

2. Reward your progress:  DO NOT give yourself instant gratification. If the first thing you do when you come home is play video games, watch Youtube videos, or hang out with your friends, you are instantly gratifying yourself. This is how senioritis leeches into your life, and you should do everything in your power from preventing yourself from participating in it.

Instead of rewarding yourself before your work, reward yourself after. Take a five minute break for every thirty minutes of work. Hanhg out with your friends after your paper. Train yourself for rewarding progress.

3. Look ahead and don’t lose sight of your future. Make sure that you know where you are headed in life, and take action in achieving your goals. If you want to become a doctor, then think of all the tests you need to study for, or all the assignments you complete for your future career. If you want to become a film director, imagine that next test for government will help you in creating your first movie. If you want to be an engineer, imagine your notes for environmental science are going towards your contribution for cutting-edge technologies. Work towards your goal.