The “unc” epidemic

Graphic by Easton Clark, Photo Editor

Senior year has been the exact opposite of what I expected it to be. I never would have thought that I’d prefer sitting at home watching “Gilmore Girls” on a Saturday night instead of rampaging through Newport’s peninsula. 

Maybe senioritis isn’t really about burnout. Maybe it’s just the result of social conditioning, convincing us that the older we get, the less we should care.  

Last year, I heard different opinions from the graduating class of 2025. Most people warned me that seniors don’t show up to parties because, frankly, it’s embarrassing. I was in denial that I might not have a vibrant social life five days a week. 

Was it really possible that seniors “retire” when it’s their last year to be college kids? 

Cut to my senior year: I turn down most invites, go out once a week and truly enjoy my late-night library sessions. 

Every time my younger friends ask me to hang out, I decline with the simple explanation that “I’m unc.” 

This leads me to question — is “unc” a bad case of senioritis, or is it a societal expectation? 

Society in America has stigmatized aging. Unlike other cultures, as Americans, we undergo surgeries to hide the natural aging process. It has become normalized to get injections at the first sign of crow's feet. 

There is persistent societal pressure that youth is the most glamorous, joyful and the best time in life. Americans regularly joke about and disguise their age rather than celebrate their golden years. 

Around the world, in places like Asia and Latin America, elders deserve the utmost respect from society. In Japan, individuals annually celebrate a public holiday called “Respect for the Aged Day” (Keirō no Hi). Elders are presented with treats, special dinners or paintings from their family members.  

In my family, our household is multigenerational. In many Latino families, it is common to have your grandparents move in and their children care for them. My grandma is very respected by our entire family and passes down her knowledge and traditions to her grandchildren. 

The way other cultures honor aging exposes how uncomfortable we are with it. Even in college, we treat getting older like it’s something to feel sorry for. 

This discomfort follows us throughout adulthood. At 22, I’m learning that I don’t need to feel guilty about my excitement for life, even if society tells us to outgrow it. 

Yes, senior year has been the busiest time of my life, but that’s all the more reason to savor it. My friends and I often complain about every outing, even when we show up, but it’s time to reframe how we see it. 

Our class only has a few months left together, so instead of shaming each other for showing up to underclassmen events, we can embrace them. Maybe this isn’t strictly college burnout, it’s our culture telling us that we’re supposed to outgrow excitement and youth. 

I’ve chosen to not only accept my new identity, but embrace it. I’m a college senior — I’m tired, bored and ready for a new chapter, but also going to enjoy every last minute I have at Chapman. 

Let’s embody our “unc” status and be the senior class that influences the other students to take risks and say “yes” to new experiences.