Ah, senior spring — what a semester! Capstone work is drawing to a close, graduate school decisions are being sent out and bucket lists are being written for those final “must see” places before leaving Abu Dhabi. Many students are crossing days off their calendars, in anticipation of commencement, while others are trying not to think about how quickly the weeks are flying by. Regardless of their approach to graduating, some seniors might be experiencing senioritis — a strong decrease in motivation during the time leading up to commencement. It is not an actual, classified condition, but it can still interfere with academic performance, feelings of productivity and stress. Why does senioritis occur, and how can we try to combat it in the final weeks of our undergraduate studies?

There can be multiple reasons for a sudden drop in motivation, which can happen at any time during college. Especially in senior year, however, it can be caused by getting into graduate school or receiving a job offer and feeling like you are “all set” for after graduation. Receiving an offer can be, to some, even more of a motivation to perform well, but this is not always the case. Another reason for senioritis could be not yet having a plan for what to do after college, or simply feeling stressed or worried about the idea of graduating, to the point of lacking motivation to work throughout the rest of the semester.

Whatever the reason, the issue we refer to as senioritis can be frustrating and discouraging. Thankfully, several methods have been proposed in various corners of the internet to make the most of the senior spring semester and try to overcome the loss of drive and motivation. Ned Johnson, told students to “make yourself your senior project”. He suggests things like looking into a new hobby which one previously didn’t have time for, or making a list of skills that will be useful after graduation and start working on them, one by one (as much as is possible and realistic). Alternatively, others have provided advice on how to get through those last couple of assignments, even when it’s very difficult. Tips include breaking down large tasks into smaller, less overwhelming sub-tasks, changing one’s work or study location to provide a more diversified setting, or surrounding yourself with peers who might be going through a similar experience.

Personally, I have benefitted from making a list of all assignments due until the end of the semester, including exams, capstone tasks, presentations and even smaller tasks like readings or paper summaries. I then broke this list down into a section for each week, and planned any social engagements around how much work I will have to complete in a given timeframe. It made me feel more in control of my time and work, since I had started feeling like I was just “going through the motions” with little intention and agency. This won’t work for everyone, since many people dislike structuring their time very precisely and scheduling every day, but I hope it can help those who like planning just as much as me.

Overall, I think study tips and methods can be benefitted from, but I’d really like to emphasize that it is okay to feel tired, unmotivated, or just “done” with academics. It has been a long four years, and from person to person, we’ve been through very different experiences. Getting back to work and successfully completing the semester is important, I won’t deny that, but it should be achieved with some self-compassion and kindness.