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-Babblin With Brook
by Brook Clark
O&B Columnist
Senior-itis Hits the Halls
Senior-itis hits every year. Seniors who suffer from this don't show up to classes, often disappearing after lunch. Senior-itis victims also don't hand in all of their assigned homework, get sick of immaturity that runs the halls, and find themselves wanting to sleep in more often.
I think I am one of the among the many at East that is starting to show the symptoms of Senior-itis. I have found myself dreading the sound of my alarm, no matter how early I go to bed. There is only one thing going through my head at six in the morning, "The snooze button was a great invention."
I am not suffering from the symptoms of not showing up to class, or having billions of missing assignments, but I do wait until the last possible minute to start my homework.
I do find myself getting sick of the immaturity of high school though, In almost every class I get to hear about a rumor about "this one girl/guy" or the new gossip "so and so did this." Doesn't anyone ever mind their own business?
I also hate hearing all the bad mouthing of people that haven't even done anything to people. Talking bad about someone doesn't solve the problem. It is just immaturity getting the best of someone once again. I understand that some immaturity can't be helped, it is just the age of a person. Freshmen don't realize at this time that gossip can get annoying, and they don't realize that running around the halls, writing on bathroom walls, and acting like a complete clown is immature. They think it is cool because everyone else their age is doing the same thing, but they will learn.
All I can say is that I want to graduate, and get out of here as soon as possible, and I think the feeling is mutual for most seniors. I am getting burnt out on the thought of tons of homework, filling out college applications and scholarships, working, and not getting eight hours of sleep at night because I'd also like to have fun.
I think Senior-itis can also be known as getting prepared for the "real" world.
Next year most seniors are going to be going to college and that still means that there is going to be homework, and studying and I've heard that it is a lot harder than high school. The one advantage to college is that you have the opportunity to schedule classes for when you want to have them. Hopefully, there will be no classes before 10 in the morning for me.
Students who aren't going to college will probably start looking for work, that means they have to go through the hassles of job applications, and interviews. Then when they do get a job, that means they still have to get up and go to it. The difference between a full time job and high school is the pay check.
I guess I'm just realizing that Senior-itis marks the beginning of adult life. No one is going to get away from filling out applications for college or for a job, and no one is going to get out of getting up and going to class/work in the morning, and there is no way you can get away from work-place gossip. There is also always going to be someone who is younger or not as experienced as you are and they are going to get on your nerves. You just can't escape these things. You may think that graduation is going to be the end, but the truth is, it's only the beginning.

Updated 2/20/00 by Mike Bowser