It’s that familiar time of the year when senioritis slams into Cal High’s final year student like a semitruck.
While senioritis may seem harmless, students can experience serious repercussions which can severely impact their graduation and college experience.
Without further ado, here are some myths and realities of senior year when the first wave of senioritis hits.
MYTH: The “Once I’m In, I’m In”
The rumor is that colleges don’t actually look at seniors second-semester grades as long as they don’t fail. Once second semester hits, seniors decide that academics really don’t matter as they don’t need to report their second semester grades until they get in.
REALITY: As the excitement of senior year builds and the finish line nears, many seniors feel the temptation to ease off the academic gas pedal.
But the first step for seniors keeping their college acceptance secure is to continue shining through academics. While on the final sprint to the finish line to graduation, seniors don’t want to lose what they’ve worked so hard to earn.
“Schools may rescind an offer of admission for several reasons, most commonly significant drops in grades after acceptance, changes to a student’s reported course load, disciplinary or behavioral issues, or falsified information on an application,” Cal’s college and career counselor Kathryn Nichols said.
While it’s tempting to coast, seniors should remember that their academic record is not only about what they’ve done, but also about how they finish the high school journey. Colleges expect students to maintain their academic performances until graduation, and suddenly slipping during the final semester can raise red flags.
MYTH: “I can just cruise my way through senior year with unlimited cuts and tardies”
Many seniors pretty much stop attending school during the second semester. It’s easy to think that senior year means a laid-back ride to graduation, but that mindset can lead to consequences.
REALITY: While some seniors might assume that missing a few classes won’t have an impact, the reality is that tardies and absences add up pretty quickly,.
Five tardies or one cut equals 30 minutes of detention.
“That can accumulate really quick,” assistant principal Oriana Yanes said. “If you’re absent a whole day, that’s four cuts, and that’s two hours of detention.”
Beyond just losing free time, these hours can directly impact seniors’ social life.
Accumulating too many detentions can prevent students from attending milestone events such as senior ball. For athletes, this could prevent them from participating in their sport.
“Weekly detention reports are sent to coaches,” Yanes said. “If it becomes problematic, coaches may be told that the student shouldn’t be practicing or playing in games.”
But on the flip side, seniors seem to be doing better with attendance this year. Michelle Mascot, who oversees the school’s attendance, from August 2024 to January 2025, the senior positive attendance rate was 94.39%.
This year, from August 2025 to January 2026, that figure jumped nearly .5% to 94.8%.
Despite the temptation to check out, improved attendance rates suggest that many seniors are still showing up and finishing the year responsibly.
MYTH: The Senior Year Prank Safety
Rumor: It’s just a prank; the school won’t call the police on seniors.
REALITY: There is a thin line between a memorable joke and an administrative nightmare.
While senior pranks are often seen as every senior’s rite of passage before graduation, the reality is that schools often treat them as serious violations of code of conduct if they involve trespassing, property damage or any other illegal activity.
“Once it becomes like you’re putting some sort of damage to the school, then that’s no longer funny for us,” Yanes said.
Senioritis is something nearly every senior deals with once graduation starts to feel close.
With acceptance letters rolling in and the finish line in sight, it’s easy to start letting things slide.
But as tempting as it is to check out early, senior year still comes with real expectations and real consequences.
Enjoying the last months of high school doesn’t mean seniors should ignore responsibility. But it does mean knowing when to let loose and when to lock in.
“Honestly, senioritis is easier when you stop overthinking and start having fun,” senior Sayansh Gupta said. “Start that conversation you’ve been avoiding and enjoy the mayhem you created, you’re graduating soon anyways.”
To read how non-seniors cope what they believe is senioritis, read Katelyn Pak’s story online at thecalifornianpaper.com.
