Class of 2016, have you been feeling a bit apathetic lately? Have you been understudying and way oversleeping? If so, you may be suffering from the early stages of senioritis.

I remember when it first began to take hold. It started innocently, as I neglected my summer reading until the day before school began, while it isn’t exactly dormant, I haven’t been hopelessly effected yet. However, I fear that as the year progresses, my enthusiasm will fade and I’ll fall victim to a full blown case of senioritis.

Webster’s dictionary defines this illness as “an ebbing of motivation and effort by school seniors as evidences by tardiness, absences, and lower grades.” Additionally, the same source dates the phrase back to 1950, meaning even those we consider senior citizens also experienced senioritis in their day.

Despite the changes between generations, the root of the problem has stayed the same. Generally, the idea is that seniors start to feel done with school before they are literally finished with it. An attitude I relate to because throughout the entirety of my high school career I’ve been taught that every class I take, every assignment I complete, and every breath I exhale is to prepare me in some way for college. So, when I begin to become accepted in to my top universities, highschool, by its own fault, loses relevance.

However, this isn’t to condone the lack of motivation that may follow the previous mindset. A New York Times study that says the dangers of senioritis can range from losing academic honors to even having college admissions be revoked. In fact, the 2009 State of College Admission Report states that 65% of rescinded admissions are the result of unsatisfactory final grades.

It is interesting to note that despite the effects of this condition, there hasn’t been much done to combat it. In fact, the only “cure” that comes to mind is the student’s graduation from high school.