By Hillary Travis
Special to powhatantoday.com

It’s that time of year again… no matter how many vaccines there are, no matter how much people try to avoid contact with the infected, no matter how many times you wash your hands, it’s still going to spread. That nasty little virus that takes hold of your body and makes you want to spend the rest of your days lying in bed with a bowl of warm chicken soup. That’s right, my friends… “Senioritis” is spreading like wildfire.

There’s no avoiding it. Every high school senior, no matter how dedicated or driven they are to be the best of the best, will surely get a taste of this contagious infliction. Symptoms include: the urge to be tardy, the inability to focus on schoolwork, a burning desire to avoid all forms of written work, and in extreme cases, a severe case of the “I feel lazy”s. As the year winds down and the virus kicks in, seniors begin to lose interest in the work at hand. They are often noted as wondering the age-old question: “Why bother? I’m going to graduate in a couple of months, and this one little assignment isn’t going to stop me!” Concerned adults have tried several home remedies for the illness, including taking away cell phones, disconnecting cable services, revoking driving privileges, and other such drastic measures. But never fear, for the doctor has a prescription for everything. In this case? A firm slap in the face by good old reality. Side effects are generally mild, and may include headaches, nausea, and upset teenagers. You should not take this slap in the face if you are currently under a lot of stress, prone to anxiety attacks, or just really, really hate facing reality. Oh, no wait… yes, yes you should.

Senior year can be one of the most fun years in a person’s entire high school career. For many, looking back on senior year is all one big happy memory – prom, senior trips, senior privileges, senior pranks, beach week… the whole shebang. Everyone comes together in senior year, like one big happy family. It’s all about the legacy of the “Class of ----,” which will surely pass on for generations and generations to come. SOLs become a thing of the past, and while there are AP exams and semester finals for some, the prospect of having only one last test standing between you and freedom makes it seem all the less painful. Yet as fun as senior year can be, it can also be just as rough and painful.

Take for instance the grand old college search. Every parent dreams of sending their child off to a big school, where they will grow into the person that will carry them through to the rest of their lives. Similarly, every senior has at least somewhat of an idea of what they want to do with themselves once they get out of high school… lawyer, teacher, secretary, couch potato… it’s all lurking within the subconscious mind. Yet once reality sets in, this part of the brain can often find itself wandering in circles. “What do I really want to do?” some may ask themselves. “Where do I go from here?” The fear that one will make the wrong decision and drastically change the course of the rest of their life is a fear that strikes when least expected. I, for one, was faced with the terror of picking a college. It’s a big decision, and affects everything from your job potential to your human interactions for the next four or so years. It’s not a decision you can take lightly, and with six college acceptances and only an idea of the colleges I didn’t want to attend, it was not an easy decision.

It’s important to take things as they come and deal with the onset of stress and anxiety that supersedes Senioritis by pacing yourself. Seniors looking for their ideal college should try visiting campuses, not only to tour and learn about the schools themselves, but to also get a feel for the environment. You may think you love a school just from looking at a bunch of brochures and websites, but you never get a real taste of the area until you step foot across their borders. It’s kind of like Play-Doh. You can mold it into the most delicious looking ice-cream cone, but once you finally bite into it, it might not be what you were expecting. Step foot on a college campus. Look around, and ask yourself if you feel comfortable there. Can you see yourself wandering those pathways, hanging out in those dorms, or even chatting with those people you see on campus? When you find the right college, you will know. There’s an instinctive feeling that just overwhelms you when you stand on the grounds of the perfect campus. It’s like love at first sight – it just seems so right.

Another thing to look at for seniors is budget. How much can you afford? Money is an important factor to consider, especially for those students going on to college. It’s important to save, and to find yourself a job that can supply you with what you need without taking away too much from your school time-schedule. But cost is not only a monetary factor. How many sacrifices can you make before you’ve sacrificed an entire dream? If skipping out on one or two assignments could ultimately lead to skipping out on graduation, would it be worth it? Certainly not, as I see it. So, if the Senioritis bug comes knocking, it’s best not to answer the door. Even underclassmen should consider where they are heading, as preparation will be only beneficial and save hours of stress later on. Parents should look to help their children in this critical time, but asserting their independence is also all the more important toward ensuring their success. And don’t just take my word for it, because every human being is different, and has a system that works for them alone.