In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, our heroine mourns that her love is from a rival family and questions if a name really means anything. If love is love, would the name change who Romeo is? Apathy is the same way. At the end of a high school career, glowing students who usually have the academic world on its feet with cheers and howls of praise turn in half-answered questions, sloppy essays, and an attendance record that would be considered the norm only in Congress.
This apathy has been given a name: senioritis. Like a disease for which there is no cure, it is almost expected that the senior in question will adopt an apathetic view towards academia. “There is nothing more to learn that is worth anything.”
Well excuse me for living. I didn’t know there was time limit on the amount of teachable time a person had in his life. Try to teach someone who has a severe case of senioritis and you are met with a blank stare.
“Why would I want to learn anything if there is no benefit?”
What if the benefit is in the fact that you might actually know a little more about the world around you? Perhaps the best judge of our schools is not the grade point averages, graduation rates, or even the number of little minds that get sent off to academic institutions to be hijacked by pagan philosophy professors.
What is the percentage of seniors actually afflicted with senioritis? Shouldn’t we be teaching how to learn? Shouldn’t we be teaching why? Perhaps our society is too much and there is no way to fight the disease. It is a losing battle and we must accept the 6-9 month period when the student wallows in sloth like swine in mud.
God gave you a mind. God gave you the gift of your intellect. To be apathetic towards an opportunity to learn, develop, and grow in knowledge is to reject the very gift of your soul.
“I just want some down time before college, I earned it.”
Sure. Just read Matthew chapter 25 and tell me about the bridesmaids who needed some down time.
You are graduating. You have accomplished a great step on the road to greater things. Congratulations. There are many people in your life that are proud of you. It is just a step, however, on the road to a life well lived. It would be a shame if you ended this step by not living it well.
