For many Mississippi State University students, time narrows toward graduation. Time to either say goodbye to the school we love so much or buckle down and get ready for the next level — graduate school. As for the juniors and sophomores, it may seem like forever until it is your time to graduate, but forever will be here before you know it. For us seniors, forever is here.
   Yet, still it seems so far away until the day we actually walk across the stage and hold that diploma in our hands. In the meantime, some of us fall into what I like to call “senioritis.” Senioritis is a disease that can be found in many college seniors and has been found among some juniors and sophomores. This disease attacks students’ determination and causes them to become lazy and uninterested. Senioritis has the biggest effect on students’ grades, causing them to drop in percentage.
   LaDarion Ammons, a senior majoring in political science, said he currently battles senioritis.
   “I just feel like everything is irrelevant now. I would think I would be the most motivated now because I can see the finish line, but that’s not happening. It’s just dragging on,” he said.
  Ammons graduates in December and wins the fight against senioritis, but have you won the fight?  If you have never heard of this infectious disease before and are not sure if you have it, I will show you the symptoms and how to cure yourself quickly.
   The symptoms of senioritis are easy to spot in others but more difficult to spot when you catch the disease yourself. The first symptom is tardiness. Waking up for class is hard when there is no one to force you to wake up and no consequences for tardiness. Once a student gets in the habit of waking up late for class, it is hard to break. If you constantly have to rush to class because you keeep hitting the snooze button, this could be your first sign of infection.
   The second symptom is procrastination. Telling yourself, “I’ll do it tomorrow,” is a clear wake up call. If you catch yourself waiting until the last minute to complete the majority of your assignments, you could have senioritis. You are not in too deep yet. There is still time to cure yourself before your friends or, more importantly, your professors notice you are infected.
   The final symptom of senioritis is the pajama symptom. Wearing pajama pants or other sorts of lounging attire to class is the ultimate clear sign of senioritis. Now you are in deep. It has become clear, and everyone around you realizes you have senioritis. But all hope is not lost.
  Senioritis is very contagious. Once someone close to you starts to show symptoms, it is not uncommon for the people around them to start showing the same symptoms. But it is never too late to turn it around. As easily as senioritis is caught, it can be cured. This is how to do it.
   Don’t hit that snooze button. Set your alarm for a reasonable time, and when it goes off, get up immediately. If you keep the alarm clock by your bed, move it across the room. This way you are forced to get out of bed and get moving. Fight the urge to jump back under the covers and immediately make up your bed once your feet touch the floor.
   Do not push that assignment to the side. Try to start on it as soon as it is assigned. Students are swamped with work from their teachers who sometimes do not understand we have other classes besides theirs. I get it. That does not mean you should push the work aside until the day before it is due. This will only create stress. Keep a planner. Write down all of your assignments and the days you plan to work on them. Give yourself a good amount of time to complete each of the assignments and stick to this schedule. Your busy work load will become a little bit easier, trust me.
   Last and certainly not least,  look your best. John James, a senior majoring in kinesiology, gives this advice to battle senioritis.
   “When you look good, you feel good, and when you feel good, you do well. People will start to be impressed, which will motivate you more,” James said.
   You will feel less anxious to jump into bed when you are not wearing your comfortable pajama pants. I am not saying you have to pull out your Sunday best to go to class. Just make sure you look nice and neat. Jeans and a nice T-shirt will work most of the time.
   Following these steps will get you back to being a great student in less than a week. Show your professors and everyone around you that you take your education seriously. Your grades will increase and your stress levels will drop, even if it is only by a little. As a bonus, your professors are more willing to help you out if you show them you made an effort to be senioritis-free.