As your senior year is approaching, you are probably feeling an abundance of emotions from fear to excitement to nervousness to cluelessness. But as someone who has just graduated, I can tell you that the roller coaster called senior year was all worth it. Now you're probably wondering, "How did she ride that roller coaster?" Well, here's how.
1. The Common App opens on AUGUST 1ST for a reason!!
The summer before senior year is not a summer to waste, especially the time between August 1st and when your school year starts. Get a glimpse at those supplements and start working on them ASAP! Make sure you have a rough draft of your overall Common App essay as well. This way, when senior year rolls around, you’ll have less weight on your shoulders and more time to HAVE FUN!
2. TIME is PRECIOUS!
Say goodbye to those good old procrastinating days because senior year will fill up your schedule before you even know it. From writing that last minute supplement to hanging out with your friend at the art museum, it might seem like you're always on the move. Make sure that you have a solid plan of when you are doing what and that you stick to it so that no time is wasted!
3. Trust me, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
Did you forget that all of your peers are going through the same process as you? You probably did. Well, tell you what, your friends are probably just as stressed/excited/nervous as you are which is why you should confide with them all of your worries.
4. Keep doing the things you love!
If you're a dancer, keep on dancing! If you're a singer, keep on singing! Don't let the college process or your senior year duties weigh you down from doing what you love! From experience, I can tell you that doing what you love will actually further you in the process by allowing you to have a place to express yourself without the pressures of reality.
5. Once your application is in, it is in!
Trust me, you have done everything you can so don't keep thinking, "What if?" You've fully immersed yourself in the process and there is nothing more that can be asked of you so go on with the rest of your life!
6. Occupy yourself!
Now that you've finished applying to colleges, you're kind of in that funk of "What should I do with my life now?" Well, here's an idea, start planning for PROM or other exciting senior year events such as GRADUATION! Go shopping for your dream prom dress! Or… start coming up with that perfect speech for graduation!
7. ENJOY Senior Year!!
This is like one of those "easier said than done" phrases. But, trust me, it's definitely possible to LIVE IT UP in your senior year! Go out on a school night, connect with long lost relatives, and savor every moment you have left with your high school friends.
8. Continue to PUSH yourself!
Senior year probably brought out a side of you that you never knew you had - that daring, vulnerable, hard-working person who’s constantly on the move. Well, keep that momentum going because it will carry you far! Use it to find yourself a summer job or an internship at that business firm you’ve always wanted to work at.
9. TREAT YO' SELF!
What seems like a year filled with tears, happiness and everything in between has finally come to an end. And the best part of it all is that YOU did it so why not throw yourself a grad party? Or lavish yourself with that Tiffany necklace you’ve always wanted? Point is, you've conquered what was probably the most exhausting year of your life so far so as Tom Haverford would say… TREAT YO' SELF!
10. Help those juniors who are about to be in your shoes!
Remember the summer before your senior year when you were like "How am I going to do this?" Well, guess what, there are a bunch of rising seniors who are in those shoes right now. So go ahead, help them, assure them you are there for them and maybe even share this article with them!
Senior year can either be one of the best or worst years of your life. I decided to make it one that was memorable by taking it on LIKE A BOSS. And you can too! Now, go on, and be a SENIOR!
