毕业即将离别 警惕"毕业倦怠症"

I've recently spoken very directly with a few of my students about a malady that afflicts a certain small percentage of students in that final run of days that lead to the big one: GRADUATION DAY.

在毕业日来临前的日子里，有一种疾病正侵袭着一部分同学生。最近和我的几个学生很直接了当地谈到了这个问题。

That malady is not the dreaded H1N1 virus, nor bronchitis, appendicitis, or tonsillitis. No, the malady of which I speak is known as "senioritis".

这种病并不是可怕的H1N1病毒，也不是支气管炎，不是急性阑尾炎，更不是扁桃体炎。不，以上所说的那些都不是，我所提到的病被称作“毕业倦怠症”。

Senioritis is an affliction that can treat college and high school seniors the way a fly swatter treats flies. Everything is buzzing along fine and dandy, and then, bam!

如果把高中和大学的高年级学生比作苍蝇，那毕业倦怠症就像个苍蝇拍，拍打、折磨这群“苍蝇”：当“苍蝇”在舒适的环境中“嗡嗡”地飞时，突然，“啪”的一声，拍了下来。

The symptoms of senioritis are well known. They include an all but irresistible urge to cut classes and ignore due dates for homework and presentations. Students in the throes of senioritis often feel a profound sense of lethargy.

想必大家对毕业倦怠症的症状都有了解吧-总有种难以抗拒的冲动去旷课，不按时交作业、做演讲等。患有毕业倦怠症的学生会经常有强烈的倦怠感。

Right out of the blue, seniors about to graduate suddenly become candidates for the Nobel Prize in Absenteeism.

而某日突然，临毕业的学生在旷课期间竟摇身一变，成了诺贝尔奖的候选人。

Stricken with senioritis, some young scholars are unable to lift a single finger or take a single step forward.

患上了毕业倦怠症，一些年轻的学生连举手之劳都不去做，还有的就甘愿止步不前了。

A severe case of senioritis may actually sink an ordinarily cheerful and energetic senior into a bottomless pit of listlessness and languor.

举个严重一点的例子，毕业倦怠症可能会使平时活泼开朗、精力十足的学生沦为一个极端萎靡之人。

"Seniors," runs my advice these days, "treasure these last laps between now and June. Keep pumping those knees. The finish line is near. Don't stop yet. Don't be an absentee."

我的建议是，高年级的同学应该珍惜毕业前夕的这段日子。保持积极性。在毕业临近的时候，不要止步，不要旷课。

Notes:
malady:疾病，社会歪风
dreaded：可怕的
symptom：症状
lethargy：嗜睡，无生气
absenteeism：旷课
fly swatter：苍蝇拍
to cut class：翘课
to lift a finger：举手之劳