In the cold of winter, illness spreads. One person’s cough could make three others miss a day of school, and a stuffy nose could lead to a week-long sinus infection.

As the second semester begins, though, a new plague has begun to ravage EHS students: senioritis. It’s an illness that targets 12th graders, preying on their anxiety about the future and their burnout after four years of high school, leaving them apathetic to the rest of their senior year.

“The senioritis did not really kick in until the end of the [first] semester,” senior Addison Keller said. “However, it all got harder once [I got] accepted into my college.”

Like many seniors, Keller has decided which college she’ll attend, planning to go to Mizzou this fall. Keller said that, while the decision hasn’t impacted her academic work ethic, it has made her more “laid back” regarding the rest of the semester.

“I am looking forward to college and graduating but still have a semester left,” Keller said. “Senioritis is making it harder to [have] daily motivation toward school.”

Similarly, senior Xavier Wilson first diagnosed himself when he submitted his early action applications near the end of last semester, meaning his grades were a little lower than he was used to before finals.

“There was definitely a bit of a kick at the end of the year to clutch [up], but it all worked out,” Wilson said. “It’s not like I’m getting less done, just that I’m putting it off or maybe putting less effort into it.”

Wilson described his affliction as a lack of “a strong will to put effort into assignments.”

Senior Quinton Sibley described similar symptoms, adding that his senioritis has led to increased tardiness and decreased motivation.

“It affects me mostly in the mornings,” Sibley said. “I don’t want to get up any earlier than 7, and while I still get the assignments done, I either wait until the last minute or I wait until we go over it in class to do the assignment.”

Looking toward the end of the semester, Sibley said that his condition will “only get worse from here.”

“It’ll get to the point where most assignments will either be turned in late and/or not done at all,” he said. “And I’m pretty sure I’ll have at least 15-20 absences.”

In a survey of 14 seniors, 92.9% said they have senioritis, and the majority of respondents rated the severity of their affliction above a five out of 10. Most first noticed their case near the end of first semester or at the start of second, though some reported catching it as early as junior year.

When asked what advice they would give to this year’s juniors, respondents encouraged 11th graders to work ahead so they can relax.

“Get your school work done and keep good grades,” Keller said. “Then, you can skip school all you want.”