As schools enter the final stretch of the academic year, many high school students are balancing rigorous coursework, cumulative exams, and extracurricular commitments. The intensity of Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) testing periods has students feeling pressured, and many don’t feel ready for these exams.
During exam weeks, students report being distracted by ‘brainrot,’ a term describing the lack of focus caused by excessive screen time with digital content like memes and social media.
Areeva Uranga Hernandez, a senior, expressed concerns about brainrot affecting her time management and the upcoming exams.
“No, I don’t feel ready for these days,” said Hernandez. “Because there’s like, a lot of material I have to memorize for all of these, well, since I am in like five college-level classes, four IBs, and one AP, so like, there’s, a lot, like, an insane amount of work that I have to do in order to study, which is not something that I really like to do.”
AI-generated images and videos featuring humorous characters with Italian-sounding names, paired with an AI voiceover using real Italian phrases, have become increasingly popular among Gen Z.
“I’ve had Italian brainrot specifically,” said Hernandez. “I’ve been told that I’m like, most similar to ballerina cappuccino.”
Hernandez expressed her feelings about the impact of brainrot and senioritis on her and her peers.
“…I do not feel locked in. I am a senior that has senioritis and I have less than a semester of school left. Senioritis, I know like is getting to us all.”
Isabella Ramirez, a junior, recognizes that brainrot has negatively impacted her grades, making it harder for her to focus on assignments and exams.
“I plan to do homework, and I plan because my grades aren’t that good, but you know, somehow I always end up scrolling on Instagram reels or TikTok like reposting,” said Ramirez.
Ramirez believes that the pressure to keep up with trends on social media contributes to students’ distractions.
“Maybe they think they’re missing out or something, and then they spend all their time on Tiktok or reels. Then they don’t get their work done, and then they resort to ChatGPT.”
Many students turn to the internet for escapism to cope with exam pressures. While it can be distracting, it also offers a humorous outlet that helps some students reduce stress and stay motivated toward their goals.
