Seniors cope with ‘senioritis’ stress, post-grad job search

Seniors at Chapman University are currently balancing a final month of classes with job searches in industries still reeling from the pandemic. Unsplash

Over the last few weeks, a devastating ailment has spread like wildfire amongst Chapman upperclassmen.

Bed-ridden seniors have described their symptoms as such: lack of motivation, incomplete homework and, in extreme cases, existential dread. If you or a loved one feel this way, bad news — you may have caught “senioritis.”

During this final stretch of their undergraduate career, many Chapman seniors are struggling to remain afloat, fighting off a year’s worth of Zoom fatigue with the inevitable responsibilities of adulthood looming dead ahead on the horizon. For Felipe Correa, a senior communication studies major, senioritis has been a semester-long battle.

“I feel like, especially with online class, my motivation has tanked,” Correa said. “I’m trying to apply for jobs right now and finish school, so I’m working double time. It reminds me of my junior year of high school, when you’re doing your school work while studying for the SATs.”

For Correa, who hopes to become a publicist in the entertainment industry, job opportunities are becoming increasingly more difficult to find. He feels nervous, discouraged and insecure about his work future.

“I feel like I’ve always been a superstar at Chapman, but right now, I’m not feeling confident because I’m getting ghosted by all these companies I’m applying to,” Correa said. “I feel like they’re trying to hire back the people they laid off before hiring new people. A lot of companies had to downsize significantly, so I think that’s a large reason why it’s hard to find a job right now.”

Fellow senior Emma Santos is hoping to enter a completely different field, as a prospective physical therapist. However, she feels a similar struggle. 

“When we first went into the pandemic, it was around spring break of 2020 and I thought that was going to be the summer of opportunity,” Santos said. “It wasn’t. Nobody wanted to bring in someone new and possibly introduce COVID to their clinic. It was really tough for me.”

The lack of hands-on experience practicing physical therapy, due to social distancing requirements, has Santos feeling nervous about taking on a paid role as a physical therapist. She even regrets not deferring her senior year. 

“I felt like what I had learned in classes over Zoom didn’t communicate well into action, which is a key thing in physical therapy,” Santos said. “As a senior, you realize it’s an important year. It’s the meat of things. I tried really hard to motivate myself, but I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

However, some seniors have discovered unique cures to the mysterious malady that is senioritis. Breeana Greenberg, a senior English major, has a tip up her sleeve: she keeps a “productivity journal.”

“(My journal) helps me really take down what tasks that I need to do for the week and break it down into manageable bites,” Greenberg said. “I'm really motivated with deadlines and motivated to do today's work today. That's something my mom taught me growing up that I live by, and that mindset really helped me push through it.”

Greenberg is prepared to continue her job as a freelance writer for the Laguna Beach Independent after graduation. Hoping for a career as a magazine editor, Greenberg admits she’s hesitant about entering the evolving field of journalism, given a decline in hard copies of magazines. However, she’s managed to keep an optimistic approach entering the workforce. 

“Trying to figure out where I belong in this new age of journalism is a little stressful,” Greenberg said. “However, I feel like Chapman will give me the resources after I graduate that can help me point me in the right direction and I feel confident that I won't be struggling for too long.”

The class of 2020 will have their commencement ceremony the weekend of July 30, while the current class of 2021 will have theirs Aug. 6. For Correa, it’s crucial that an in-person graduation ceremony takes place.

“I’m the only child of a single mom and we’re really close,” Correa said. “I want this opportunity for myself, but also for her, because she’s done a lot to give me the privileged life I have now and I want to reward her for all her hard work.”

Following graduation, Correa plans to move to Los Angeles to be closer to the entertainment industry. He’s adamant that once he moves there, he’ll never move away. Although he’s excited to start a new chapter in his life, Correa said he’ll cherish his time at Chapman. Ultimately, coming down with senioritis will be worth it to graduate alongside friends.

“I’m going to miss walking five steps and seeing someone I know,” Correa said of Chapman’s campus. “I love that small community atmosphere that Chapman has; it’s true that everyone knows everyone and we’re all connected one way or another. I’ll miss the strong bonds that everyone has with the community.”