Senioritis has often been associated with high school seniors, but it can also be found on college campuses, such as The University of Memphis.
With the 2004 fall semester winding down and commencement set for Dec. 18, senioritis is just starting to set in, according to students and professors.
Unlike high school seniors, who are continuing their education at a college, students graduating from college are moving on to careers and graduate schools more closely related to their fields. This means some lose focus towards the end of their time at a university, while wanting to move on with their lives.
"Some students are so focused on graduating that their work is sometimes affected," said English professor Doveanna Fulton. She added that some seniors get by with the minimal amount of work due, but many remain very involved with classes until the last day of class.
Lyrial Chism, math graduate student, said she felt she had already graduated during her college senior year, weeks before she had finished."I had a countdown going and everything until the last day," she said. "It was such a struggle."
According to Fulton, two of the end products resulting from senioritis are missing classes and less work being turned in.
"They have appointments with people outside of school, including interviews for future jobs, so their work is sometimes affected," she said.
Demands placed upon graduating seniors can be a large burden on the students, so there can be less time for the current semester. Fulton added that some seniors have jobs and career interviews lined up and, in those cases, the students sometimes place even less emphasis on classes. "I think all seniors feel that it is definitely their last semester," said Patsy Mcintire, senior biology major. "(The seniors) feel like whatever it takes to get out of school on time."
While something similar to senioritis can also affect lower division students in college, Fulton says that this year's seniors preparing for graduation are probably more affected. Some students nearing the finish line of a semester lay off on their study habits, but those who are graduating and have so many outside influences are most often tagged with senioritis.
"The effects are more based on an individual student, but they are all really just focused on graduating," Fulton said.
