A sharp image shows a student whose smile brightens as they begin to stride down the walkway in their gray cap and gown. They shake the principal’s hand and proudly take their long-anticipated diploma.

There is so much excitement for the last day for seniors, it can become tiresome to continue school when students approach the finish line. This leads to a decrease of motivation and performance in school, which in many cases can indicate senioritis.

“The pressure from senior year has made it the most difficult year for me,” senior Kaylin Martinez said. “Going into the year I thought it was going to be easier for me and the whole year I’ve just had to just keep reminding myself to get it done.”

A huge symptom of senioritis is attendance. Most students believe since they are almost done with school, they do not need to show up for school, but school attendance can cause grades to drop more quickly than expected.

“Try to put that effort in because this isn’t your last year of school, especially if you’re going to college,” senior Giovanna Zacher said. “You’re going to need that mindset of going to school and doing your work for college.”

Every year, seniors are faced with life changing choices. Whether it is attending post-secondary school or joining the military, it is a decision that can be difficult for students to make if they are unsure what to do after high school is over.

“I know I’ve always wanted to go to college,” senior Nathaniel Shaeffer said. “I just don’t know what I am going to major in.”

It may feel like seniors need a shove sometimes to get the school work completed when their motivation decreases. There are ways such as clubs and extracurriculars that reward hard work in school, like joining a sports team or honor society.

“Having dance here we’ve always had this contract where you’ve had to keep grades up,” senior Alexis Bouters said. “So, it really motivated me to keep up my grades even if I was struggling in a class.”