Opinion of a Senior During This Critical Period

Opinion of a Senior During This Critical Period
Posted on 11/14/2017
Harshita Gupta
Staff Editor
I do not know if I will agree with this statement later on in life, but right now I feel safe saying that the past few months have been the most difficult in my life and that that is probably true for all of the current seniors. In the midst of critical life events such as learning to drive, working jobs, and fending off senioritis, this is the time in which we must make the most critical decisions of our lives and choose the path we want to follow for the rest of our lives. After 18 years of having to ask to go to the bathroom, this can be a stressful transitional period; I know it has been for me.
Facing a storm of college applications and everything I have had to do in order to apply has been a journey from start to finish. There are a myriad of steps I did not even know existed before I started exploring common app and other applications: having to connect all of my applications to naviance, add my resume to naviance, send checklists to the counseling and career center, and request my application, tiny steps that can add up to an entire workload. I have been down to the counseling and career center dozens of times times to ask questions, pick up papers, and find my transcripts in order to self report grades. Finding my list of colleges required hours of research and even after that, every application seems to require innumerable short answers and essays. I find that there isn’t enough space to fit all of the extracurriculars I have devoted so much time to over the years. To juniors I say, don’t wait!
College applications may seem like a daunting mountain you will never be able to climb, but if you don’t make a plan, organize everything, and start as soon as possible, it will become impossible to overcome the peak. I also say that if you don’t understand anything, no matter how small, find someone to ask for help; you will always find it. I am telling you from experience, that the parts of your application that have to be filled out by other people, your transcripts and recommendations, should be the first things you ask for and will be the last things done; you will have to check up on them constantly. I also say that if a senior snaps at you or is especially grumpy, forgive them; they are going through some major trials and tribulations.
Right now, I find myself thinking about college constantly; everything from binge watching the newest seasons of my favorite shows to celebrating my birthday has been pushed aside in order to finish my applications. I still have times of doubt about whether I am applying to the right colleges and the right programs. It is important to remember that this is perhaps the most important decision of a senior’s life and they should not take it lightly; however, it is also important to find time away from college applications and remember that nothing is set in stone. Unless you do early decision; that is literally contractually binding. Make your choices carefully.
This is the time that all 12 years of hard work during school lead up to; it may be the most difficult time, but once all my applications are sent in, I know that that will be the most blissful period of time. Although it will be time to wait, the decision will be out of my hands and I will be able to enjoy the rest of senior year. There are musicals and concerts and sports games and prom to look forward to; don’t let college applications be a menacing shadow over your senior year. They are merely one of the stepping stones to your future.
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