Senior year is a monumental moment in everyone's life. At that moment you already have 12 years of school behind you, and the rest of your life is ahead of you. In my opinion, it should be a memorable year that stands out because of all of the fun you've had. Senior year can be enjoyable but still academically challenging if you decide to go to college. Here's how I'm making my senior year a good year.

For starters, make sure your schedule works for what you like to do. I participate a lot of extracurricular activities outside of school so I'm taking as few classes as I need to so I'm not stressed out all of the time. Along with taking fewer classes I've decided to take challenging classes to still show potential colleges that I'm not quitting or wasting a year in unimportant classes. By taking fewer classes it gives you the opportunity to focus on your hardest classes during the school day when you have teachers ready to help you out with learning material during your off time.

Hang out with your friends. This seems like it should be an unspoken rule anytime and not just during senior year, but you never realize what you have until it's lost, or in another state that is. Maybe you're planning on moving to the east coast, maybe your best friend wants to stay in their hometown. It's inevitable that your friend group will be broken up soon. With the less rigorous schedule you've got, you open up more time to just be with the people that mean the most to you before you're forced apart by distance.

Don't go to that school function if you don't want to. By senior year there's no doubt you've been to every event under the sun that your high school has thought up. It's plain and simple, if you don't want to go, don't feel obligated to go because this is the last time you'll get to experience prom. Sure, it may be your last chance to dance with a bunch of people that start drama, but where's the fun in that? Besides, fancy shoes are uncomfortable sometimes. If dressing up isn't your thing then just simply don't go. Besides, who really wants to wear fancy clothes just to get sweat from the mosh pit on them?

Make friends with your teachers. Okay, so not a 'Let's hang out this weekend' kind of friendship but earn respect from each of your teachers. They are people too. If you go around parading the fact that you'll be out of school in no time and that you don't care about that teacher's class, they aren't going to like having you in class. Besides, gaining a teacher's respect means that they are more lenient when you're having a rough time in their class. Teachers also hold a lot of wisdom. They've been through school and college, and believe it or not, they have lives outside of school! Listening to your teachers means that you could learn a thing or two that will help you outside the classroom, especially upon deciding where you're taking your future.

Please, consider my advice when planning our your senior year. Make a lot of memories and keep your grades up, but most importantly, enjoy your time. Stressing out over homework and full schedules is not a very fun way to enter your adult life. Take it easy and don't give up on yourself.

Have something to say or a story to tell? Request to join our Wausau community at https://muse.theodysseyonline.com/apply.