When we first hear of senioritis, it’s intended to provide relief: “You’ve worked this hard for so long – you’ve earned a break!” Even when the more negative, slacker-type aspect is referenced, there’s a justification given: “Maybe you’ll be lazy, but you’re so close to graduating anyway, so who cares?”
I never liked this conception of senioritis. For one, I enjoy keeping myself busy with a myriad of opportunities in and out of the classroom. In both my academic studies and my involvement in extracurricular activities, I feel more motivated than ever to put in quality work for the communities that have provided me with so much, and support and welcome new members as they learn the ropes and take the reins.
Furthermore, the time for me to enter the real world is closer than ever, and I want to do my best to prepare for this transition. I’ll be conducting a senior research project and applying for graduate programs, with the long-term goal of becoming a professor. This style of work and application process may look different from going into a company or industry after graduation, but I hope its essence – working extra hard, figuring out career goals, agonizing over news of an interview or letter – will resonate with you, regardless of major.
In short, I don’t intend to “slack off” my senior year, because senior year doesn’t allow for that. For many, it’s an incredibly stressful time with the sheer amount of work and fast-approaching deadline of graduation making breaks near-impossible. Moreover, the world we are entering faces increasing economic, political, medical, and environmental turmoil, and we deal with constant reminders that we must be the ones to fix it.
Therefore, “-itis” seems an apt suffix. Referencing inflammatory processes in the
body captures how feelings of anxiety, dread, and frustration tend to “flare up” for seniors. I think it’s fair to bring light to these difficulties, and I intend to do so in writing for this column.
I don’t want that to be the end of the story, though. Maybe the easy way out is to just detach from the daunting aspects of senior year, but I believe a better approach is to balance those aspects with fun, and perhaps new, opportunities and experiences. For me, this includes trying out jazz band, trying to visit NYC or other cool nearby places more, trying to eat and learn to cook new foods – even trying my hand at this column.
Altogether, this still a lot, and I, like anyone else, will have limited time and energy in the coming year. This column will be filled with lots of ups and downs, as I likely won’t meet all these goals. With the future being an exhilarating, chaotic, ever-looming ball of uncertainty, we always look for a state of relative equilibrium before the next flare-up arises.
Even so, there’s a way to find balance in it all. Inflammation is necessary to protect the body against disease, but too much is self-destructive. So perhaps my biggest goal for the coming year is to balance my levels of senioritis. I don’t expect to get it right every day, but that’s part of the journey, and I hope you will join me in this journey over the next several months.
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