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Jason McKnight '11 is having trouble focusing on academics. Now in his eighth semester, McKnight seems to have shifted his priorities as of late. Instead of finishing that reading due tomorrow, he is now more apt to "chill with friends" and "enjoy what time he has left." In short, McKnight suffers from senioritis. And also from a deadly and incurable strand of tuberculosis.
With biopsies and blood cultures confirming the positive results of his initial skin test, McKnight was diagnosed with senioritis by medical professionals last September. Since then, things have not been the same. Academics have taken a back seat in his life, and his grades are suffering - but this doesn't seem to bother him. Exhibiting perhaps the most classic symptom of senioritis, McKnight instead focuses on all those things he has always wanted to do but never had time for: things like visiting Newport, completing the "SciLi challenge," and finally buckling down to write his will.
Friends say they have taken note of the fact that over the past six months, McKnight has not been himself.
"Jason just doesn't care about his work anymore," said friend Peter Arnaldo '11. "Last year he was all pumped to write his thesis, but when I asked him how it was going this semester, he just casually told me that he's not doing it anymore because it's 'not really important anyway.'"
"And it's not just his thesis," Arnaldo continued. "Jason blows off all kinds of things. He always says that 'with so little time left,' he can't concentrate on anything other than his 'impending end.' Come on, man - it's just graduation!"
Dr. Darren Cohen of Brown Health Services had some advice for McKnight. "When facing an illness like senioritis, though times can be tough, it is important to keep in mind that the disease is entirely made up - in fact, it's not a disease at all. More of a pun or wordplay, really. So if you suffer from a lack of motivation caused by senioritis, remember you'll be graduating soon with a great degree."
"Plus," Cohen added, "there are people out there with real problems to worry about."
