Marian Prim
It is a known fact that once second semester hits, most seniors immediately check out. “To be or not to be” is forgotten; “to go or not to go” becomes the phrase of choice. Ironically, I have been staring at my computer screen for an hour the day before my article is due (after two deadline extensions), and can barely form a thought to share with the lovely Scholium readers. After thirteen years at the Episcopal Academy, I have reached the final stretch. Instead of being nostalgic, or ecstatic, or relieved, I am simply exhausted, an adjective that could be used to describe seniors from schools of every caliber. SATs, ACTs and SAT IIs are finally finished, college applications have been submitted, midterms are over, grades are in, and everyone’s brain is fried. In order to truly understand seniors, I believe a few definitions (from Urban Dictionary) are necessary.
- Senioritis: “A crippling disease that strikes high school seniors. Symptoms include: laziness, an over-excessive wearing of track pants, old athletic shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sweatshirts. Also features a lack of studying, repeated absences, and a generally dismissive attitude. The only known cure is a phenomenon known as graduation.”
- Senior Slide: “That magical part of your senior year in high school when things get a little easier and nothing you do matters.”
- Senior Skip Day: “A day chosen by a senior class to skip school. This most frequently happens at the beginning/end of a school week or the day before or after a school day in which there are no classes (a state holiday for example).”
- Senior Prank: “A legacy. A well-planned, well-executed senior prank is perfect for that. The whole point of the senior prank is to leave a memory, for you, your classes, your teachers, and your community. A senior prank is a mark of school spirit.”
Each definition is a glimpse into what seniors expect from their second semester, and what teachers grudgingly expect from them. However, the Class of 2012 has been encouraged time and again to remain strong until the end, which is something I’ll need to think about later. To be honest, it has been a struggle to search, copy, paste, and type for an hour. And to think, I even had homework before that! Now that you understand the world of a second semester senior, I welcome any questions, comments or concerns that will most likely be answered within six months. Now, “to go or not to go” to first period tomorrow…