Senior ditch day is a widespread custom among high school seniors that reinforces class superiority. Almost everyone has participated in this tradition, dating back to our parents’ and teachers’ high school days. Although the tradition is anticipated, seniors need to consider the timing when organizing these ditch days.

89 percent of seniors disappeared on “Mystery Monday,” the first day of Spirit Week. This high absence rate was shocking, especially to both AP and regular ed teachers.

AP teachers were outraged at the immense amount of empty seats in their classrooms. With only four teaching weeks left on the ditch day to study for the AP exams, these teachers needed all the time they could get with students to prepare them for the exams.

Seniors had already organized two ditch days this year and some teachers considered the Saddleback day as another one. This amounted to three days of empty seats that should have been useful preparation time for the tests ahead.

In retrospect, maybe having a ditch day during Spirit Week was not a good idea, and the fact that it was Mystery Monday made it seem official in the eyes of the seniors.

Everyone should care a bit more, especially seniors with AP classes.

Some teachers are tired of accommodating seniors by changing due dates and rescheduling review sessions to work around these random events.

Due to tradition, seniors anticipate ditch days. However, teachers do not expect most of the senior class to be missing near AP testing times or any important events.

In addition, the administration does not have mind-reading abilities, as demonstrated when Fuller commented about how most of the students expect the attendance office to know which students were attending the senior day at Saddleback College.

In addition to the missing instructional days, teachers are frustrated when seniors complain about them holding accountable for their absence. Seniors need to take responsibility for the missing work and late credit they might receive after a ditch day without complaining.

Senioritis is real but it’s negatively affecting everyone.

The timing of these ditch days must be considered when organizing them because having 89 percent of students missing a couple weeks before the AP exams is catastrophic.