It’s November, which means that, like every school year, a portion of the senior population appears to be losing the motivation to attend school and complete their assignments. The result of what is commonly referred to as “senioritis” is that many seniors fail to finish their final year off strong. While many blame seniors for this attendance problem, some suggest that the causes of senioritis run deeper than you might think.

Many students at FCHS claim to be experiencing dread when imagining attending school for even another day. Since it is their last year, some find themselves completely mentally checked out and ready to move on with their lives.

“Senioritis has personally affected me, such as dreading every school day, feeling like I’m just repeating the same day over and over again, and the lack of motivation to even want to do my school work, along with so many more things. It also affects my sleep habits because I often find myself sleeping immediately after school. As a result, it’s keeping me up late at night,” said senior Audrey Harlow.

Some claim that senioritis isn’t a real struggle for students, just an excuse for laziness or apathy. Yet many students, as well as staff, continue to recognize the familiar pattern and the same difficulties that result from this chronic absenteeism. Senioritis doesn’t just affect students; it also affects teachers.

“Senioritis is a very real thing and has an impact on my class, for sure. It is especially bad in the spring once students have committed to colleges and mentally begin to separate from FCHS. Part of the challenge as a teacher is keeping students motivated to complete the year with solid effort,” said AP Government teacher Mitchell Pace.

The effects of senioritis can also trickle down to underclassmen. The literal absence of seniors, especially in a 9-12 class, can set a negative example for students in younger grades.

“I already do not like coming to school, so when I see my friends, who are seniors, skipping, it makes me not want to come even more,” said freshman Henry Bazzarre.

While senioritis has been a long-time issue with seniors, some argue that the only solution administrators have come up with is threats and punishments. One example is the new policy for attending last month’s Homecoming dance, where if a student had more than seven absences, they were not able to purchase a ticket or attend the dance, regardless of their grades or behavior. This tougher policy surprised some students.

“We’ve always communicated to students that they must be in ‘good standing’ to participate in certain school events. Over the past few years, however, many students have approached me at the last minute, unsure why they were not considered in good standing,” said administrator Chad White.

White, however, feels that students were given plenty of notice of the new attendance policy long before the Homecoming dance.

“To provide clarity and fairness, I wanted to share this information a month before Homecoming so all students understand exactly what ‘good standing’ means and have ample time to take the necessary steps to meet those expectations. This ensures every student has a clear opportunity to demonstrate responsibility and earn the privilege of participating in school events,” said White.

While administrators are responsible for encouraging regular attendance, some suggest that punishments are not the solution for seniors who are already unmotivated to attend, and that the focus should be on making school more enjoyable for students, such as more field trips, and making school more joyful.

“I think we should have four-day weeks instead to ensure less burnout. People might want to come into school more if they had more time with friends, like more time in between bells,” said senior Danielle Scott.

Meanwhile, school counselors are focused on the mental health aspects of poor attendance, as well as teaching students that good attendance isn’t just an issue for school–it’s an issue for life.

“The same habits and work ethic you build in high school tend to be similar to how you perform after high school. Senioritis is a descriptor of lack of engagement, procrastination, and motivation. Oftentimes, people refer to senioritis as a joke or a reference to ‘excuse’ showing up and being present with one’s duties,” said counselor Heaven Chumley.

“Just like everything we want to accomplish, no matter the timeline or process, we have to push ourselves to work through hard things, even ourselves,” Chumley added. “The importance of showing up and being present (which to me are two different things) allows encouragement and is a step in the direction needed to persevere. As an educator, I work with many different facets regarding a student and the educational system, especially attendance. I always encourage a student to get here. That is the hardest part. The rest we will figure out,” she said.

While some feel that the issue of senioritis is unconquerable, others argue that senioritis can be overcome. One option is to set small goals, taking it one day at a time. You might consider setting a countdown to the next break rather than having a countdown to graduation itself. Another might be to allow yourself to take a mental health day once a month, rather than once a week. Finally, making sure to set aside time to have fun during your senior year may be the best way to keep motivation high.

One thing is for sure for the Class of 2026: senioritis will not last forever, and it has an end date, which is May 22, 2026.