Students and a teacher were interviewed at Las Vegas Academy of the Arts (LVA) to find out their opinions on being a senior and their thoughts on senioritis overall. Seniorits is an unmotivating feeling typically shown in seniors that affects their performance in school work. Senior teacher, Mrs. Miller, speaks about her experience with senioritis, informing students what to expect before senior year. The students speak about their plans after high school and how they feel leading up to it. 

 “I believe that senioritis is a state of mind. However, if you ask freshmen they can have senioritis,” stated Ms. Miller, a senior teacher. She believes that senioritis not only affects seniors but also students in other grades. It all depends on the student’s motivation for their academics. 

Ms. Miller’s tips for those who have senioritis is to be in control of their own motivation and passion so that they are able to choose how they want their day to go, “ Remember that you make your own magic every day. You can choose how to direct your motivation and passion,” Miller said. “Choose something on that day that you’re looking forward to. We have a choice on how we make our days work, so make it work for you.” 

Senior Uriel Vega is leaving for college soon and understands that there will definitely be more responsibilities outside of high school. He’s nervous to be leaving high school, but overall, he’s excited to create his own schedule for college and have more freedom. “The only part I feel nervous about is the fact that I have to officially grow up. I have to be an adult now,” Vega said. “Other than that, not really. I’m kind of excited for what life has to await for me.” 

Vega feels that it has been appropriate for him to slack off in academics a bit during his senior year after working hard in his previous three years of high school. “Most definitely, but that is because I’ve tried so hard my other three years that I’ve kind of earned the right to,” Vega said. “I have enough credits to pretty much slack off and still be perfectly fine.”

Senior Sarai Rolon feels that so far during her senior year, she has lacked a lot of motivation to do her work. Rolon still completes her work and takes her academics very seriously. “[I didn’t slack] academically, but I definitely slacked motivation-wise,” Rolon said. “Like I didn’t want to do my homework but I did it.”

Rolon enjoys being a senior because of its social aspects but also acknowledges the fact that being an adult will be hard at times and will require more responsibilities. “Being a senior is fun because you get to build more connections with teachers and friends and people start to see you more as an adult,” Rolon said. “It kind of sucks because you’re leaving a lot of the old high school relationships you had and you’re growing up not as a kid anymore, so you have more responsibilities.”

Becoming academically unmotivated in your senior year in high school seems to be very common. Not only is it present in seniors but also in underclassmen. Overall, students are trying to figure out what they want to do after high school. Additionally, many teachers give advice to help students who have senioritis. When it comes to being unmotivated, a simple phrase of, “ I can do this” can be just the encouragement you need.