Symptoms include fatigue, lack of motivation and the inability to concentrate. This illness plagues the Oak Park campus once again and it is not the flu.

Many students and faculty members use the term “senioritis” as a way to describe the apathetic behavior some students exhibit their last year of high school. Oak Park’s staff and students have taken notice of this passive behavior for many years now.

“Senioritis is no joke and at some point of the year it hits everyone,” said ASB president Michelle Velasquez.

“It’s just hard to be motivated when you know the future is coming and college is the next step. It’s all seniors talk about.”

Even with this stated claim, there is another way students decide to approach their senior year.

“I don’t want to completely slack off because school takes endurance and I don’t want to lose it all and struggle next year,” said senior Maris Paden. “I want to finish out my last semester of high school strong, and then enjoy a nice, relaxing summer.”

Many of Oak Park’s teaching staff is frustrated with the seniors’ careless working habits.

“I am not happy about it when I see it, but it is their decision to be that way,” math teacher Lisa Warren said.

Some students do not realize that this newly found school attitude comes with some consequences.

“To my classes that are predominantly seniors, I give a speech at the beginning of the second semester about senioritis,” Warren said. “In addition, I talk about how you should be aware of it because if you end up with a bad grade in a class, colleges can take away your acceptance.”

Although the senior class exhibits this epidemic, underclassmen can get it too — especially when students reach their junior year, which some call the hardest year of high school.

“Now that it is second semester, I have reached a point where I just want to graduate and leave high school already,” junior Kenny Park said.

Like many students in his grade, Park has endured many rigorous courses throughout his high school career due to the competition that comes with college applications.

“It is not like I hate the classes and material that I am learning, but since I have been working very hard over the last three years, I am physically and mentally exhausted,” Park said.

In the race that is their high school career, graduation day is around the corner for the senior class.

Warren sums it up with this advice: “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so finish the year up efficiently.”