As the second semester begins, Seniors begin to feel the side effects of “Senioritis” as they figure out where their going and where they’ve gotten in, many feeling stress off their shoulders.

They’re now celebrating their acceptance or coping with the rejections, but either way the motivation for keeping up with their grades beings to fade.

Senioritis, as defined in the Urban Dictionary, is “A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.”

Although the definition is hilarious, it is true. The anticipation of speeding through the last semester to get to college has a horrible affect on seniors worldwide. So here our some tips on how to cure your Senioritis.

Tip #1: Grades Still Matter!

Senioritis doesn’t seem like such a big deal, but in reality it can drastically change your future and can have consequences for you college acceptance.

Seniors tend to believe that their college admission fates are sealed after the acceptance letter arrives. However, colleges usually have a clause that allows them to withdraw their offers, even months after acceptance. Many colleges don’t receive final grades until June or July, so if the final report doesn’t align with the information in the application, students may find they’ve lost their spot at the college of their choice.

“This school year has been pretty stressful and all but the thing that I think I need to focus the most on is maintaining my good grades,” said senior Dominic Sorondo.

So, make sure you keep up with the good work seniors because it’s not over until you receive your diploma!

Tip #2: Practice Adulting

Once we graduate, we will be completely on our own, so it’s better now or never to start getting comfortable with adult skills.

“Senioritis is impossible to deal with because I tend to deny my responsibilities even though I know I have to do them. But college is just around the corner and I want to be prepared in every way possible for it.” said senior Justina Santucho.

Some basic skills we all should learn are:

• Grocery Shopping/Basic Cooking Skills
• Car Maintenance
• Money Management
• Laundry

“During quarantine, I taught myself how to cook my own food and it made me feel very independent and confident in being able to be on my own,” said senior Sofia Mendoza.

It sounds silly to start practicing but these skills will help you prepare for living alone and for you to focus on school more.

Tip #3: Staying Motivated

Many students struggle with boredom during the pandemic, due to everything begging closed and not being able to do normal things, making it hard to stay motivated.

To avoid boredom, try to make yourself busy with something that interest you. You can pick up a hobby such as a sport or even an art class.

This will help you stay focused and may give you a head start on choosing a major. Getting an internship or a job, or participating in an extracurricular activity can also help you stay busy.

“The most difficult thing during this second semester is trying to stay active, especially during these times. I try to set everyday goals for myself in order to stay focused and motivated,” said Justina Santucho.

Setting goals can also help you stay motivated, whether it’s having a planner for you day or deciding how your going to achieve a long term goal.

The clearer your goals are, the easier it is to maintain your motivation.

Tip #4: Don’t Stress

“As stressful as everything is, I always try to take a step back from whatever I’m doing and relax. It really helps me have a mental break from everything and it puts me at ease,” said Sofia Mendoza.

After all, you’ve worked hard to get into college, and you deserve to treat yourself. Make sure to set aside some time to loosen up and hang out with your friends and family (safely of course), and do other fun stuff.

Graduation is less than 6 months away, so keep your eyes on the prize and remember you can make it to the end seniors!