While this pattern is not unusual, especially at the end of the year it does raise several harmful implications in the quality of academic, social and spiritual progress.

Before finding the cure, it is important to first diagnose the disease. Many call it ‘Senoritis’, although juniors and underclassmen seem just as susceptible to it. It is the strong desire to be anywhere besides the school setting. The symptoms: not completing assignments or taking the easy way out, general weariness and irritability (sound familiar?).

For many, this attitude and lifestyle choice has been in operation since the end of first semester or earlier. However, as the last few months of school whittle away it has become more apparent. One of the main reasons for this is simply that students are worn out both mentally and physically.

It would seem easy to ‘just get by’ during these last few months. After all, the brunt of the academic year, excluding finals, has mostly passed. Yet according to academic magazine, Eye on Education such behavior may actually shape students future study habits and their overall views of that particular year in a detrimental light.

“The ‘remembering self’ is comprised of the one or two ‘peak’ moments we have had in a situation combined with how it ends (this is known as the ‘Peak/End Rule’),” Eye on Education says. “‘It is the remembering self that tends to stick with us and the one we use to frame future decisions. From this perspective, what occurs in the final weeks of our classes will have a huge influence on how students feel about and make future decisions related to learning, schooling, the subject you are teaching, and how they might feel about future teachers.”‘

In addition to poor academic habits, this form of ‘underachieverism’ often takes a toll on personal relationships as well. Though the abandonment of responsibilities may appear to aid in a greater amount of time and therefore deeper relationships, this is rarely the case.

Rather, unmotivated individuals can often have a very self-serving and distant demeanor pushing away social interactions. Anxiety resulting from a stack of late assignments and homework that the student plans to complete five minutes before class starts may also cause friction in relationships.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. –Colossians 3:23-24, Bible

Perhaps the most convincing reason (at least for Christians) to throw aside any trace of a negative mind set is that, simply put, God tells us to. In Colossians 3:23-24, God reminds Christians who it is that they are really serving.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

If it is the Lord that FC students serve every day why do we complain so often? If it is the Lord that we serve why do we talk bad about others and forget about what really matters? The issue is not so much that we are good or bad students but that the focus of our lives is distorted. We have become what Revelation 3:16 calls “lukewarm.”

If we believe that the purpose of our lives here on earth is truly to glorify God with everything that we have, then ‘underachievement’ is a bit of a violation to our very existence.

God calls His people to be passionate and to act. Yet beyond the spiritual implications there is the cold hard facts that high school in only four years out of our lives. We have four years to participate in all of the activities offered at FC (which our many). We have four years to bound with our existing friends and perhaps make a few more. We have four years to reach out to someone who may never find love anywhere else but in that moment.

(PODCAST) Finishing the year strong–Feb. 28, 2015

Rather than looking back and whishing for greater involvement, why not pursue those things now? High school is not an eternity (though it may feel like one) and the choices that we make now will affect our futures as well as those of the people around us. Rather than go through the motions we need to take motion and lead the student body in a passionate and purposeful finish to the 2014-’15 school year.  finish the year strong.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @skylerlee.

For more opinions, read the Feb. 18 article, COLUMN: Why every student should go to NOTS.