With June fast approaching and the school year coming to a close, Grade 12 students across North America are finding it hard to motivate themselves to finish the year strong. St. George’s is no exception when it comes to this phenomenon knows as ‘senioritis’. The Grads of St. George’s have experienced a considerable decline in motivation since the beginning of the year. During first term, Grads were working extremely hard in order to get good marks in an effort to gain admittance into university. Once they received their university acceptances, however, their work rate plummeted. While this behavior is understandable, to a degree, too much of it can be a very bad thing. Sitting back and relaxing during what little time they have left in high school has its merits but there’s a thin line between relaxing, and failing.

If Grads let their work fall off completely they run the very real risk of ruining everything for which they have worked for so long. Most university acceptances are conditional so if a student’s grades drop too low, they may lose their spot at their university of choice. If they lose their spot, they will be in a very bad spot, because if the university which gave them an offer, withdraws that offer, they can be assured most other universities will also see their marks as too low and also refuse them admittance. They will then be faced with a very slow and long road back from which it may take years to recover.

There are also their relationships with their teachers: since they are no longer doing any work in class, the relationships they have taken years to build with their teachers, may be in jeopardy. To ignore your teachers is to disrespect them. They spend a good portion of their lives in classrooms to you will have a good life; to ignore them is to tell them “you’re wasting your time.” We respect them too much to tell them that.

Yes, going out with friends is much more fun than writing an essay but with so little time left, sacrifices must be made. The entire summer, as well as university, is in front of us so it would be a shame to squander what time we have left in high school. One of the most important parts of high school is making memories that will last for the rest of your life.

So, I know it may seem pointless, at times to continue the race right to the finish line, but who respects someone who quits in the final 50 meters? I know you are proud of the time you have spent at Saints. Show it. Be an example to your teachers, your friends and the younger grades. Let people smile when they think of the legacy you left behind. More importantly, make your final year something you can look back on with pride.