We all know that senior year in high school is one of the most anticipated years of the four, but why? A lot the the expectations you have going in are unmet. Senior year is fun, but not what anyone ever expects it to be. So, here are a set of expectations that prove to be left behind.
Expectation:
To leave class before the underclassmen: Many schools promise the seniors about 5 minutes early release at the end of the day, so that they do not have to face the traffic while leaving the school. This is a nice way to congratulate the seniors for making it this far, but this congratulation is short lived.
Reality:
This only works out if the announcements are actually are played when they're supposed to, ( which, they're generally not.) Thus, you're left to speed walk through the packed halls with all of the underclassmen. You might as well have crawled to you car, and since you're a senior, you arrived as late as humanly possible and had to park in a parking spot that feels like it's 50 miles away.
Expectation:
To have an easy year: Every one goes into senior year thinking that it will be the easiest year of their high school year. They think that they will just show up and pass with straight A's just because they are about to graduate.
Reality:
If you have ANY form of rigor to any of your classes- it's hard. When you sign up for honors or AP classes, you sign away your sanity and your social life. You will find yourself squeezing in your homework in the most random of times in order to get it all done. There's a lot left to learn your last year, so don't be surprised when you're diving in homework.
Expectation:
To not get in any trouble: As a senior, you think that nothing you do will get you in trouble because you are the top of the "chain." You think that no one will give you detention, or suspend you because those things are for underclassmen.
Reality:
When it comes to doing things because "you're a senior," sometimes, faculty could care less. They can't tell the seniors from the freshman, (especially if you're my size.) So before you commit any heinous crimes, decide whether or not it's worth the risk.
Expectation:
To get accepted into every college you apply to: When applying for college, or even jobs, seniors become pompous. They fill out the applications with all of their great qualities, thinking that they are the best candidates for schools.
Reality:
You can get declined. Beware of this misunderstanding, it can save you from a lot of grief. Especially if it's a "reach" school for you, it's best to prepare for the worst. Also, don't apply to a school just because you have a strong feeling that you'll get in; make a smart college choice, and do as much research as you can.
Expectation:
That you will be motivated enough to do your homework: Many seniors say that they will not catch the dreaded "senioritis" that everyone who has graduated has sworn they contracted. They think that they will get all of their homework done the night it is assigned because they are excited to leave, and nothing will stop them.
Reality:
Staring at your homework for hours is a thing. Senioritis infects you quickly, and it's highly contagious. Since it's your fourth year in high school, the whole routine begins to feel mundane. Homework will get harder and harder to do as the year, ( and by the time May rolls around- forget it.) The best way to kick senioritis is to get involved in school. Time will fly, so make the most out of every possible second.
So there you have it. I hope that if you're an underclassmen, or even a middle schooler, that you're more prepared to face your senior year. It's not always going to be a walk in the park, but it does have the potential to be one of the best years of your life- it's all in what you put into it.
