Advice for High School Seniors

Hi everyone!

It has been a long week. A LOoOonG week! And it’s only Wednesday! Much of my focus today has been on PRESIDENT Biden’s inauguration(!) and a *couple* of projects coming up at school. Despite everything going on right now, I thought I would go back in time and answer a couple of questions about college before you get to college (i.e. senior year).

1. How do you deal with senioritis?

Senioritis is a common condition which affects approximately 100% of high school seniors. Symptoms tend to be irksome but manageable, and vary on an individual basis. Luckily, with treatment and time (enough to get you to around… mid-June), it is curable.

So, all jokes aside (not really, but we can pretend)… If you’re anything like me, about halfway through senior year, all things high school will go out the window because you will be so focused on the college experience ahead of you. By spring semester senior year, I was itching to get to graduation so that I could focus on the exciting chapter ahead of me.

As you reach the end of your high school career, it can be really hard to stay motivated. There’s no easy fix for that—it is what it is. Here’s the deal: You can’t control how you feel, but you can control how you act on those feelings. If you don’t feel like doing anything right now, that’s okay! What’s not okay is actually doing nothing.

So. What can you do?

1. 1. Push through. Do the best you can, and it will be enough. Especially with the added stress of a pandemic, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. But try to keep up with your work to the best of your ability, so that it doesn’t pile up and cause more stress later.
   2. Get lots of sleep. This is kind of a silly thing to say to a high schooler! Of course you’re not getting enough sleep! Your classes probably start at the ungodly hour of 7:00 AM! I’m not suggesting that you adopt the bedtime of a toddler. But if you can get 7-8 hours of sleep each night, it will make such a big difference. You might even have enough energy to get through calculus without nodding off at the first utterance of “derivative”! (Just kidding. Kind of.)
   3. Find time for yourself. Make time to do what brings you happiness. I’m sure you’re feeling the senior year crunch, which can be stressful. But allow yourself to relax. Prioritize downtime. And remember that it isn’t a want, it’s a need.

2. What do you do when decisions come out?

This can be pretty stressful! After all, you’ve likely poured a lot of time and energy (and money) into applying to the colleges of your choosing. That can make it feel like you have a lot riding on those little white envelopes that show up in your mailbox. But here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. 1. These decisions WILL NOT make or break you. Frankly, at the end of the day, it really doesn’t matter where you go to school. Please do not think that only one school can get you where you need to go. This is not true, and it puts too much pressure on something that you cannot control. Repeat this to yourself as many times as it takes: No matter what, everything will be okay. The only thing that can get you where you need to go is YOU.
   2. That said, it’s okay to feel sad if you don’t get the result you want. I remember feeling really disappointed after getting two waitlists in the same day. I let myself be sad for a little while, and then I moved on. Focus on your achievements. If you don’t receive a desired result, use it for motivation rather than self-defeat.
   3. Opening a decision letter doesn’t have to be a public moment. If you want to have family or close friends there for support, do that! (Safely, of course… we still have COVID to contend with.) But you don’t have to invite Great Uncle Fred, Neighbor Bob, and the entire internet to be your witness. You can if you want! But allow yourself to react in private before sharing, if that’s what you need.

So… What next?

After getting your decision letters, you will have the fun job of choosing a college! I will write more about this in a later post, once it’s closer to decision time. For now, here are a few tips:

1. 1. Have fun with this decision! Choosing a college should be a joyous process, albeit a little stressful. Let yourself enjoy this time, and use it as an opportunity to learn more about yourself.
   2. Although you might be counting down the days until graduation, enjoy the last few months of senior year. Spend time with your family and friends (again, safely)! Do something fun! Test your independence! I know COVID is an inhibitor this year, but try to take advantage of this chance to dip your toes in the pool of adulthood.
   3. Remember that this is not a decision you have to make alone. Speak to your friends, family, teachers! Email me (taratsasa@carleton.edu)! You can also reach out to college admissions representatives, who can speak with you or put you in contact with a current student or alum. There are a lot of people who are more than happy to help—so let them!

In short (haha, I told you there’d be more jokes)—hang in there. You’ve got this!

Andriana

Andriana is a sophomore at Carleton, where she plans to major in English and double minor in Creative Writing and Cross-Cultural Studies. Although she will be spending this fall at home in Richmond, VA, Andriana is already excited to return to Carleton and escape the southern heat. When she isn’t busy avoiding Virginia’s never-ending summer, you can find Andriana binge-reading, playing music, or watching a favorite movie or show for the umpteenth time. Meet the other bloggers!