5 Treatments To Help With Your Senioritis

By Elana Goodwin on April 27, 2015

Senioritis (noun) – a debilitating affliction most common in graduating high school or college students. May cause restlessness, carelessness, inability to focus, and lack of interest in attending class and doing work.

To date, senioritis has only one cure, which is graduation, though various treatments have been researched, with inconclusive results.

The last year of college can cause many students to feel mixed emotions. On the one hand, you made it — you’ll be graduating with your degree and heading off to start a life somewhere, or perhaps to continue your education with an advanced degree. On the other hand, you’re leaving the school that has been your home for four years, which is bittersweet.

But perhaps the feeling most universally experienced by seniors at colleges across the country is that of senioritis.

Here are some possible treatments that may work for you and help you focus for just a bit longer, as graduation is just around the corner.

Photo Credit: snagajob.com

1. Computer Control. If you’re having trouble concentrating on your schoolwork while using your computer and instead find yourself relentlessly scrolling through BuzzFeed or visiting Facebook, you may want to look into downloading a lockdown browser program.

If you have a Mac, you can download an app called SelfControl which allows you to easily block your own access to distracting websites for whatever period of time you designate.

The app lets you put website URLs on a blacklist and then set a timer for how long you want to be locked out of those websites. Plus, it’s smart and won’t let you try to circumvent it by using another browser, like Firefox or Safari, even if you set it for Google Chrome.

2. Motivate Yourself. Senioritis is very easy to give in to, so you’ve really got to dig in your heels and fight it if you want the chance to finish your semester, and your undergraduate college career, strong. To combat senioritis, try motivating yourself to keep focused.

Make a playlist of motivational songs, like Kanye West’s “Stronger,” Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” and “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor.

You can also write down a few motivational quotes on paper and hang them within eyesight around your room or write them down on sticky notes (either using a computer app or real paper ones), or change your background picture to a quote.

“The secret to getting ahead is getting started,” “Dreams don’t work unless you do,” and “You don’t want to look back and know you could’ve done better,” are some good ones to help inspire you to work hard.

Photo Credit: internmatch.com

3. Create a Calendar. Write down whatever date you’re graduating on or the day you’ll be done with finals and the other events, tests, and due dates you’ve got standing between you and that day.

Cross off each day as you get through it and keep yourself studying hard and focused on your goal of finally being done. You’ve worked hard for the last four years to get to this point; don’t screw it all up now by slacking off and giving in to senioritis.

4. Make a List. Each day, make yourself a list of things you need to get done for the next day; whether it’s reading a textbook chapter, studying lecture notes, or going grocery shopping, and then cross or check things off as you get things done.

Maybe it’s the nerdy list-maker in me but personally, being able to check things off that I got done that day feels really good.

5. Set Up a Reward System. Make a deal with yourself, like for every hour of studying or homework you do, you get to watch one episode of some TV show, or you get a half hour to waste on the Internet.

You can even go bigger and make rewards for yourself like getting to order takeout, buying that item you’ve been eyeing, or that you’ll let yourself book that trip you wanted to take this summer or go to a concert if you just get through the rest of the semester and fight your senioritis.

Hopefully these “treatments” will help stave off your senioritis and allow you to stay focused and studying hard until graduation finally comes — it’ll be here sooner than you think!

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