I had a senior assembly the other day. At the assembly my Vice Principal and class officer talked about something called “senioritis.” “Senioritis” isn't a real disorder, but it is the term that people use to describe seniors in the second semester of their senior year. They say that we (as seniors) start to relax on our school work and get more excited as graduation approaches.  When that happens, some of us may start to “forget” to do our work or just not really try our best because we think that we have already completed our senior year. However, we are NOT done yet!  It’s only February, we still have another four months before we get to turn our tassels, throw our caps in the air and call ourselves high school graduates.

Recently, I spent time talking to one of my close friends (also a senior) who I have been friends with since seventh grade. One thing we discussed is how our senior year is nothing like we had imagined way back in seventh grade. Some of our friends have moved away, some people we knew have dropped out of school, and some just don't try.

We talked about our freshman year. As the conversation went on I realized that I can't afford to suffer from “senioritis.”  During my freshman year no one thought I was going to graduate on time.  Truthfully, I didn't even think I would graduate at all. I didn't go to school regularly; I barely went at all.  Because I missed all those days I didn't learn as much as I needed to and failed a great deal of my classes. During my sophomore year I got placed into a foster home and went to school everyday and worked extra hard to pass my classes. Now, as a senior, I have a full schedule and I am still working on making up a class in my school’s online credit recovery program.  It’s hard to balance my workload and everything else that comes with being a senior, but I push myself because I know that all of my hard work will be worth it in the end.

Looking back I can see how far I have come. I see some people in my graduating class suffering from senioritis and I am sad that they might not graduate with me and the rest of the class of 2011.  My advice is stay focused on school.  I know it is hard because everyone has something “better to do” but realistically those “better things to do” can keep you from graduating. You have come this far; don't stop now! Congratulations to all my fellow seniors we’re almost there!

Still keeping busy,
Meryssa