Senioritis at Bronx River spikes every spring. This year is no exception.
For Rejwana Islam Saroni, senioritis hit after she completed all her required credits and Regents exams. “My biggest sign that I have senioritis is I don’t do my work unless it’s important and necessary,” she said. She finds senior year stressful due to college applications, FAFSA and scholarships.
Xiomara Cardenas shares similar regrets. “Something I should have done differently in high school has to be participating in clubs and stuff,” she said. While she is preparing for college, the financial burden weighs heavily on her mind. “I think I am not ready for college because of how expensive it is, and I need more time to get everything together.”
For Gabriella Pinelli, time management has been key to overcoming senioritis. “During freshman year, I had no motivation because of COVID. But moving to 12th grade, I’ve learned time management.”
Still, she admits that tardiness has been a major sign of senioritis. Despite this, she remains optimistic about her future, as she looks forward to a career in nursing.
Priscilla Pol wishes she had studied more for the Regents. “Biggest distraction was the fact that I’m going to college,” she said
However, she feels prepared for adulthood. “I was always excited to leave school and go to college.”
Her advice to underclassmen is simple: “Don’t be lazy, come to school, be kind, and do your work on time.”
Joel Aguilar’s most obvious sign of senioritis is sleeping in, procrastinating, or skipping work altogether. Looking back, he regrets his inconsistent attendance. “During sophomore year, I wish I came to school more because now I’m not able to apply to some colleges due to my GPA.”
He doesn’t feel ready for adulthood, citing struggles with procrastination and responsibilities.
Damion Kelly Jr. also recognized the impact of senioritis on his daily routine. “My biggest sign of senioritis is my sleeping schedule. I go to sleep around midnight and wake up at 6 a.m. since I live an hour away from school, which sometimes makes me late,” he said
Despite the challenges, his favorite high school memory was participating in a basketball tournament which helped him make new friends and improve his social skills. His only advice for the underclassmen is to prioritize academics.
Larry Nunez realized his motivation changed after discovering that a passing grade was a 65. “I don’t aim for 65s anymore; as long as I pass, that’s what matters,” he said.
His biggest distraction? “My bed. It’s so warm and cozy that it’s hard to get up for school, I just wanted to stay in bed forever.”
Keysny Martinez described her final year as filled with rising pressure. With college decisions looming and work distractions piling up, she said “it feels like tension grows each month.”
She has many favorite memories with Monique Paes, a teacher and friend who always supported her. “Always stay focused distraction can make you lose control of your life.”
“My biggest distraction is that we have boring classes,” said Jason Fuentes. One word that describes his senior year is “motivated to pass and to graduate because I don’t wanna come back to school.”
Gabriel Gallardo has senioritis as his target is to do acting in future. He says, “I wanna skip the part of school and be around acting.”
He has the distraction of not sleeping. “I have a terrible sleep schedule. He has a memory of the freshmen year when, “the Six Flags trip changed my entire perspective on social life.” Gabriel advises underclassmen to “show up in senior year because attendance matters.”
For Oscar Juarez, senior year has been more about the excitement of graduation and the senior trip than focusing on schoolwork. “I think more about the trip than doing my work,” he said.
His favorite memory is the overnight trip with his friends. Looking back, he suggests staying on track early, “Don’t mess around your freshman, sophomore and junior year so you can enjoy senior year with less stress.” If he had to sum it all up in one word: “Chaotic.”
However, Sindid Mahmud feels not having senioritis as he didn’t get distracted, but highlights some unfavorable days. “After Eid, I got sick, I had a teeth surgery and missed some days. But it was a personal issue.” He also raised his GPA up from 90%-95% even though “I came to this school in late 2023.”
“Some seniors feel their grades are gift wrapped and they don’t need to do any more work,” said Jovani Almonte, the senior counselor, who continues working with parents to help their children to improve and help students stay on track.
