Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Winter Break have all come and gone, and we have officially reached what I believe to be the worst months of any given school year. As we walked back into school on January 2nd — some of us in our pajamas — we couldn’t help but feel tired and hopeless as the longest stretch of the year had begun. As we enter the new year, let us take a quick look back on the glory days.

In August, the sun was shining, and we felt refreshed as we walked back into school on that late summer morning. In early September, we officially said goodbye to summer as we celebrated Labor Day and a 3 day weekend. Columbus Day and another long weekend followed in October. November was eagerly welcomed as we enjoyed a 4 day weekend, while the 2018 Midterm Elections took place. An unexpected power outage prompted a surprise snow day in mid November, and Thanksgiving was soon upon us. December 21st came all too quickly as Winter Break flew before our very eyes. 

Which brings us to today: the middle of January. It’s a dreary time where the sun makes an appearance for about 20 minutes every other day, and it is dark by the time most of us get home. It’s a time when midterms lurk right around the corner and dreams of snow days and 2 hour delays are the only things we are focused on. And although we have a 4 day weekend ahead of us next week, that will be the last of any long break until mid April, when we will get 5 days off for spring break. But, that is 4 months away, and we have only begun the year.

Despite making a brief appearance the second week of school, the infamous senioritis has officially plagued the NASH population, particularly the senior class. 

“I feel like I have had senioritis since junior year. After I got accepted into the colleges I wanted to, I lost all motivation, and it is safe to say that my senioritis is at an all time high” said senior Sana Ahmed.

By this time of year, most seniors have applied to college, many are already accepted, and some have already committed. For those students, senioritis serves as the only thing standing between us and graduation day. Any and all motivation we walked into school with in August has completely vanished. The thought of sweatpants and sleeping in has taken over our minds, while the drive to get straight As and that 4.5 GPA have been lost all together. Coming to school in the dark and leaving in the dark really doesn’t seem to help any of us either. 

“Coming into this year, I really didn’t have any senioritis. I was just excited to start senior year with my friends,” said Sam McGuire. “When I was accepted into college, I started to feel the senioritis set in. I’m trying to keep myself motivated and just to make it to graduation day,” added the senior.

These feelings come around every year, not just as we become seniors. The period between January 2nd and Spring Break is one of the most trying times for students in any school year.

“Senioritis is so real,” agreed senior Abby Adelman. “Honestly, I feel like I’ve had it since eighth grade.”

We as students have to balance midterms, sports, clubs, and jobs; we have to take last minute trips to colleges to ensure we are making the right decisions. We have to apply for scholarships, ask for separate recommendation letters, find roommates for next year, and somehow pass our Calc test next week. By the time we are finally able to catch our breath, it will be Spring Break. 

I am not sure that there is a cure for not feeling so defeated in these coming months; trust me, if there was, I would have already shared that with you. Nevertheless, we need to do what we know how to do, which is to put our best foot forward and roll with the punches — to take the good with the bad and to watch the morning news and hope for those 2-hour delays and for the phone to ring at 5 am with the NASD Caller ID attached to it. 

It will be no easy task to make it to Spring Break, but we’re NA, and we’ll be okay. Just buckle up because we’re in it for the long haul.