From integrated math I to calculus and statistics, from world history to government, seniors have done it all and are getting ready to say goodbye. After four years of secondary education, the high school experience is coming to an end and as the finish line approaches, many say that final semester has become the most exhausting part of the journey.
Battling with college applications, internships, jobs, homework, extracurricular activities, and many more, seniors report feeling overwhelmed more than excited. What is often dismissed as senioritis has turned into something heavier, fatigue, that makes even landmarks feel draining.
“It’s a lie, because you have so much stuff [to do] and then you have senior activities on top of that. It’s overwhelming,” senior Amber Orellana said.
In addition to preparing for graduation, Orellana is enrolled in two AP classes and preparing for the AP exams while applying for jobs and participating in activities like Red Cross and Science National Honor Society. Like many seniors, she says the accumulation of responsibilities has made the final lap very difficult.
Despite the exhaustion, some seniors say that the anticipation of graduation drowns out the stress and helps them push though. Acceptance letters, future plans, and the idea of an independent life serve as reminders that the fatigue is temporary.
“It’s all I’m looking forward to, and I can’t wait to actually start my life,” senior Berla Al-Nakkoud said.
For others, senior year feels lighter academically but more demanding emotionally. While coursework may feel manageable, the mental pressure of planning for the future weighs heavily on students.
“I would say it’s my easiest year work wise, but mentally it’s my hardest year,” senior Griffin Fittante.
In addition to preparing for what comes next, seniors are also coming face to face with the reality of leaving behind familiar faces, routines, friendships and spaces that have shaped them and their high school experience.
“The hardest part about senior year is having to grow up, not being able to go to school with my friends that I’ve known since elementary,”senior Kai Wener said. “I’ve had a lot of fun memories on this campus.”
When asked to describe this last semester of their high school lives, two words stood out to some seniors. Scary and exquisite.
As graduation approaches, seniors continue navigating the exhaustion, excitement, and emotional weight of the transition. While senior fatigue is real, so is the significance of losing one chapter and beginning another.
