Senior year is more than just about slacking off and missing deadlines; for some, it's a time for self-expression and preparation for what lies ahead.

By Daniel Allen

Bradley Chowles, an 18-year-old student in his final year at the International Beijing World Youth Academy (IBWYA), is counting down the days till graduation. “To be honest, I can’t wait to get out of here,” he comments. “It’s not that I haven’t enjoyed my time at school-it’s just I’m ready to move on now. I’ve got what I can from learning and I really need a fresh challenge.” Chowles already has his post-graduation life carefully mapped out. “If I pass the International Baccalaureate (IB) this summer, and hopefully it shouldn’t be a problem, then I am going to take a gap year in Beijing to work and concentrate on my music. Then I’m off to study philosophy at a university in the UK.”

Although this creative and highly articulate student from South Africa is still heavily focused on his final exams, of which he has six, there are signs that a condition known as “senioritis” has gradually crept into his world. Bradley admits that yesterday he wrote three-quarters of an essay that he’d had 18 months to prepare-Cthe deadline was in 48 hours. He has had “20 sleepless nights” in the past year cramming for exams and working round the clock to meet cut-off dates.

Senioritis--that “been there, done that” feeling that hits seniors during their final semester of high school-Cis now considered a cultural rite of passage for those at the college threshold. What was once casually referred to as “switching off” has now acquired a pathological label which gets 141,000 hits on Google. Symptoms of senioritis commonly include increased social and extra-curricular activity, a disinclination to study and a general disengagement from school.

Julian Williams, director at the Beijing World Youth Academy, has a lot of sympathy for his seniors. “Studying for the IB and taking final exams is the toughest time these guys will probably have to go through-tougher than university. For many, the whole experience can feel like going through interminable hoops when all they want to do is get on with their lives. All this comes against the backdrop of growing up and finding out who you are, so it’s not surprising that some students find it hard to concentrate.”

Despite recent studies suggesting that many students believe their senior year is a waste, Chowles disagrees. “Being a senior is not all about time in the classroom,” he explains. “I’ve been heavily involved in the Model United Nations (MUN) program our school organizes. We get together to discuss real world issues and give speeches. I was lucky enough to attend an MUN conference in Singapore recently. The whole experience has been great for improving my communications and opening my eyes to global issues.”

Sometimes senioritis can work in the opposite way, with the pressures of study causing many high-octane students to focus entirely on their exams, to the exclusion of everything else. Textbook pages are memorized, old exams are mastered and anything less than a perfect score is cause for concern.

Williams believes racial background can play a big part in how senioritis manifests itself in final year students. “We see a big difference between Western and Asian students in terms of how they behave in the run-up to graduation. Asian students tend to be single-minded and concentrate solely on exams. While I can’t say some teachers do not love this, we do need to encourage such students to engage in other forms of self-expression to broaden their minds. Asian students don’t usually seem to do too well in MUN because their thinking is too structured.”

Zoe Liu, 18, is in her final year at the Yew Chung International School of Beijing. Like Bradley, her post-graduation life has already been comprehensively planned. She explains, “After I graduate, my family and I will emigrate to Canada where I hope to study economics or management for four years. Then, I’ll probably study for another Bachelor’s degree or take a Master’s degree.”

This quiet Chinese girl is feeling the pressure to graduate in a big way. “My father expects me to do well in my exams,” she comments. “He’s helped me plan my life and I don’t want to disappoint him. I don’t resent him helping me though-Cwithout him I would probably be lazy or too slow at studying.”

Luckily for Zoe, Yew Chung runs a program called CAS (Creativity Actions Service), which encourages seniors to get more involved with extra-curricular activities. Under the program, Zoe took up the guitar, which she now plans to continue despite completing the program. She also worked in an orphanage, helped to teach other students Chinese and took part in a leadership course with students from other schools.

“I really enjoyed CAS,” says Zoe. “It helps to get us more involved with non-academic stuff. Sometimes it’s easy to become too focused on study, and not develop ourselves as people. This summer I hope to go on a trip abroad with some friends. It’ll be the first time I’ve traveled without my parents before and I think like CAS, it’ll also help me to become a more well-rounded individual.”

Few look back at their final year with much fondness, but it’s a crucial time in most people’s lives. Giving seniors the right support and encouragement is vital in helping them progress toward adulthood, and both IBWYA and Yew Chung seem to be applying the right balance between stick and carrot.

As Williams comments, “The final year is about empowering students to fulfill their potential. If a student can’t apply their skills five years down the line because of how they performed in their final school year, then that is a real tragedy.”