Ah, seniors. The indescribable student.
But I’ll take a stab at it.
The super laid-back students who don’t seem to have a care in the world. They enter the classroom with a slow shuffle and collapse into their seats, assuming their default positions — head on hand, one leg extended, slouching deep into their chairs. As the teacher brings the class through lesson after lesson, their eyes seemed to be glued to the clock.
This is what it’s like to be in a classroom with a senior.
There’s always speculation when two age groups are mixed together and expected to collaborate in class. Will they get along? Are they going to work effectively? Can we join these two different groups and make one, comfortable learning environment?
I think it depends on the class. This is my first year in classes mixed with seniors, and it was a little intimidating at first. I figured that feeling would soon disappear; with time comes comfort.
So far, so good.
But I guess three years of persistent hard work really wears you down, and by the fourth, some seniors have no motivation left in you whatsoever. Class discussions are a lost hope — I find my teachers asking questions to a silent class.
I’ve narrowed it down to a simple science — seniors exist in three groups.
First, there are the enthusiasts. This rare group of seniors exemplify the perfect student — raising their hands for nearly every question the teacher asks, rhetorical or not. I’ve only seen this type once or twice.
Then, you have the cruisers. Cruisers are those who know they have the right grades and SAT scores from their previous year to get into college. In short, they’re not worried. They just want to get the remaining credits they need.
Lastly, you have the slackers, which I think is safe to say makes up at least a quarter of the senior class. These kids are so happy to be in senior year that they just want to get by with doing as little work as possible.
Despite the fact seniors alter the mood of the class, I will admit, it’s nice to have a group full of new faces. One’s own clan can get tedious after a couple years, and it’s a breath of fresh air getting to interact with new people.
All in all, the seniors in my classes are mixed; some have positive attitudes toward the actual subject, while others just towards college. However, no matter what their intentions, I can assure you working super-duper hard is not among them.
