by Matthew Shepherd, ’19
As spring break finishes and classes begin to wind down, students find themselves in fourth quarter: 9 weeks of wrapping up, testing and anticipation of the nearing summer vacation. For some students, this anticipation takes precedence over school, leading to an overall sense of decreased motivation for school. While for seniors this is commonly referred to as “Senioritis,” it extends to every grade level and can serve as a major detriment to many at UAHS.
Senior Harry Cohn, himself beginning to feel a lack of motivation for the upcoming quarter, believes that the encroaching summer months are the main reason for students’ loss of motivation.
“I think people, especially those who are deciding not to go onto college or to pursue higher education, just feel done with school. And even those who are going on feel like they’ve already made it, and don’t see a ton of reasons to keep going all out,” Cohn said.
While this phenomenon is most apparent in seniors, so much that it has earned the name “Senioritis,” students from also grades also suffer.
Junior Lizzie Clingan has seen the effects of Senioritis on people of her grade as well. She said, “Fourth quarter definitely goes by the fastest because everybody is looking forward to Summer, so a lot of people get their heads stuck in Summer and the nice weather, causing people to not want to be at school”
To some this lack of motivation may seem unimportant, especially for students who are in their last quarter of high school. Both Cohn and Clingan, however, believe that senioritis can be a detriment to students’ schooling, both in the present and in the future.
Cohn believes that a lack of motivation leads to seniors being unprepared for the rigor and challenge in college. He said, “Senioritis causes students to get used to not doing very much work, so when they get to college they may find it stressful.”
Additionally, Clingan sees how this lack of motivation affects students who have to take finals, AP tests and other end-of-year exams, namely juniors, sophomores and seniors. She said, “People begin to lose focus because of [a lack of motivation]. I know a lot of people start making Summer plans, and to some people the next school year seems so far away that a good grade on a final seems less important than everything else, especially those Summer plans.”
Although summer seems close enough to touch, Clingan and Cohn believe that students need to stay motivated in order to succeed. Perseverance will lead to greater success now and in the future, and personal gratitude at the success that students achieve.