In Chelsea High School, senioritis was like a virus that affected many of the seniors, causing a serious case of laziness. It was a struggle that wasn’t taken seriously by some, but for those experiencing it, it was as real as the school bell ringing at 2:52 PM.

Among the pool of seniors swimming their way through their final year, Mason Strach found himself with weights tied to his ankles making him sink deeper into senioritis. 

“I used to try and study a little for my tests and I was pretty good about getting all of my work done,” Strach said. “But now, I don’t even think about opening my iPad.”

Grace Ratliff (‘24), once known for her impeccable time management skills, now found herself procrastinating more than ever. 

“It’s not like I don’t care about my grades or my future,” Ratliff said. “But with college acceptances already in hand, it’s hard to stay motivated.”

Sadly, senioritis didn’t just affect students; teachers felt its impact too. Valerie Jhonson, one of our beloved English teachers here at Chelsea High School, noticed a change in her students’ attitudes toward their schoolwork. 

“It’s not uncommon for seniors to experience a dip in motivation during their final year,” Johnson said. “But this year, it seems more pronounced than usual.”

For Matt Pedlow, a history teacher who had seen his fair share of senior classes, senioritis presented a unique challenge. 

“All of the teachers have talked about this class and we know this is the smartest class to come through Chelsea in a long time,” Pedlow said. “But I have definitely seen a big fall off in interest with my AP classes, but as long as they get through their AP test and they all get 5s I don’t care what they do.”