I will be the first to admit that senioritis is hitting me like an 18-wheeler on I-95.

I am writing this at 6 a.m. the morning it’s due. The missing assignments are already stacked up. Skipping classes for the beach (once it stops snowing) has gone from sounding reckless to sounding brilliant.

Welcome to the life of a second-semester senior, where deadlines feel optional and we stare at the ever-ticking clock counting down to summer. 

For years, the adults in our life have been telling us now is the time we can feel free. And I’ll tell you — that is not the senioritis experience I’m hearing from my friends. Exhausted. Numb. Bored. That sounds more like it. 

After years of juggling sports and homework, stacking AP classes and extracurriculars and spending late nights churning out essays, second-semester seniors now have their moment to collectively exhale. 

Our finish line is visible, so, motivation dips. That’s normal; it’s a tale as old as time. Teachers sigh knowingly. Parents roll their eyes. Friends nod in solidarity. But what if it’s not always that simple? 

Burnout — even at our age — has become disturbingly common. And I’m noticing a worrying trend: Teens are conflating an innocent drop in senior year motivation with the symptoms of something much more serious.

Classic senioritis is skipping English because you’re with friends at the beach on a sunny Tuesday, not because you can’t get yourself out of bed. It’s putting off that essay for prom dress shopping, not for time spent scrolling endlessly in your room. It’s taking that nap because you’re finally breathing after four relentless years, not because the activities you once loved feel empty and joyless. 

Senioritis is a harmless, well-earned rebellion. Most importantly, it’s celebratory. It’s unserious. 

What I’ve been hearing lately sounds different.

Friends who feel constantly exhausted. Friends who have lost interest in sports or clubs they once cared about. Friends who describe feeling hopeless instead of simply unmotivated. That isn’t senioritis. That sounds more like depression.

It’s important these days to check in with yourself. If your lack of motivation comes from how close you are to the finish line, that might be senioritis. But if the future doesn’t feel exciting — or worse, doesn’t feel worth it — that may be depression. And nobody deserves to live out their glory days in that state.

So, support your friends. If they start mentioning concerning signs, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult. And if this is your first rodeo with depressive symptoms, start with the basics: the holy trinity of social connection, movement and gratitude. 

Fill your calendar with things you genuinely look forward to. Spend time with friends instead of isolating. Prioritize sleep, hydration and real meals (protein shakes don’t count). Research consistently shows that daily workouts can be even more effective than antidepressants. Small habits add up.

And lastly, practice gratitude. In the painfully long waiting period until decision day, it can be hard to appreciate what’s around us when we’re so focused on our rapidly-approaching future. Look around and appreciate the good in your life: friends, maybe, or family. Sports teams and hobbies and the incandescent joy of pulling up to a McDonalds drive-thru with a car full of friends. Enjoy it all; we owe ourselves that.

Senioritis and depression are not the same, despite their overlaps. We’ve spent four years being taught to distinguish the nuances between similar concepts in every academic subject imaginable. We can learn to discern these, too. Let’s all make sure we get the senior year we deserve.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, call or text the national lifeline at 988.