As students head into the second semester, workloads increase while motivation decreases. Homework starts to pile up, due dates inch closer, and time is of the essence.
These side effects of burnout can be known as freshman funk, sophomore slump, junior jitters and senioritis. Each grade carries its own struggles and mindset, never leaving a dull moment in a high school career.
Freshmen are introduced to a new world where adjusting to better habits is necessary. Unfamiliar ground, harder classes, and school sports are all contributing factors to the freshman funk. “I think the hardest thing is figuring out when to do homework, how to study for a test and learning how to communicate with your teachers,” said freshman Abigail Byrd.
For sophomores, it’s slightly different. “You get really tired by this time of the year, and you start procrastinating,” said sophomore Amelia Duncan. When the reality of the workload starts to settle in, and the impending thought of the future is at the back of students’ minds, the “slump” starts to kick in.
Universally, junior year is assumed to be the worst grade. “Most juniors are getting jobs, and you’re trying to balance a job and school, and looking for colleges and something to do after high school,” said junior Natalie Haseman. Junior year introduces more AP and honors-level classes, as well as the weight of college entrance exams. “It can be nerve-racking and crazy,” said Haseman.
“I think all of [the grades] are accurate to their names because I did go through all of them…but senioritis definitely is the most accurate,” said senior Nicole Gertseva. Senior year is seen as the most severe of the four, given the name senioritis. “Seniors don’t want to come to school, they don’t wanna do their homework, they just aren’t here,” said Gertseva.
Especially by the second semester, college applications are done and acceptances are coming in, seniors’ presence and attendance seem to go by the saying, “it’s basically summer,” said Gertseva.
Freshman funk, sophomore slump, junior jitters, and senioritis are phases of high school that come with their own unique challenges, each highlighting struggles students face but ultimately overcome.