Purple Haze
Words, words, words
By Elizabeth Thomas

February 10, 2011

_____The second semester has barely begun, and some students are already looking forward to the finish line and summer vacations. In the meantime, students are finding ways to express their stress of waiting by using certain words or phrases.
_____One phrase that seems to be rising in popularity is the “third marking period blues.” I only heard about this recently, and it refers to the period after the midway point when some students begin slacking on their schoolwork due to a lack of enthusiasm for their subjects. As understandable as the task of staying focused is, the year is not over yet. It’s more important to worry about what is on the next test rather than what is the best outfit for summer.
_____Another common word that students like to use is senioritis, a period of lethargy as a senior waits for the next stage of life. This happens when some college-bound seniors feel entitled to a little down-time in their grades, especially when post-graduation doesn’t require knowledge of Shakespeare or calculus. Some seniors also tend to slack in the way they dress by opting for sweatpants and T-shirts rather than jeans. Even though senioritis is a tempting excuse to throw some tests, it’s more important to finish strong with good grades and a positive attitude. In fact, recent studies have shown that some colleges reserve the right to deny admission to an accepted applicant should their grades slip.
_____So, whether a student is faced with senioritis or the third marking period blues, it’s important to move on with a strong focus in studies and, thereby, eliminate the risk of jeopardizing one’s future plans.