Hey Seniors! Now that you’re well into the first semester of your last year of high school, I’m sure it’s beginning to hit you that soon your life is going to do a complete 180. While this probably seems incredibly intimidating, and you still may have no idea where you’re headed, I want to tell you that everything is going to be ok.
I'm only a freshman in college, which means I’m not much older than any of you. However, I lived through the high school to college transition, and I can understand your struggle. Balancing grades, sports, a social life, and dating wasn't always easy or fun, but if I could do it, you can do it. Here are my top ten pieces of advice for any high school senior.
1. It’s okay to not have all of the answers
Everyone is asking you where you’re going, what you're going to major in, and what you want your future to look like. You know they’re asking because they’re genuinely interested, but when you’re barely a legal adult, trying to map out the rest of your life can seem pretty stressful. You wish you had it completely figured out, but the truth is, most of us never truly do. I still don’t know where I see myself after graduating. You don’t have to answer these questions, and people will understand. By the time April rolls around, you’ll know more. For now, just focus on applications and the rest will fall into place.
2. Apply to all of your dream schools
I can’t stress this enough! Some universities might seem completely out of reach, either for academic or financial reasons. The school I attend right now fit both of those categories when I was a senior. Filling out applications might be a tedious task when you’re trying to keep up with a time consuming netflixing schedule, in addition to the many activities you're involved in, but the one application you don’t fill out could’ve been the one that would change your life. There are ALWAYS scholarships, and all you need are a few good letters of recommendation and an extra essay or two in order to turn your dream school into a reality.
3. Hangout with your parents
Whether or not you believe it right now, you will end up missing your parents when you go to college. Regardless of if you are heading to school across the country or even just across the street, the amount you see your family once you start school will be less than you ever have in your entire life. When you get sick in college, your mom likely won’t be able to bring you soup. Home cooked meals are hard to come by, and your bank account will be stuck in a drought rivaling the one in California.
At some point when all of these things are starting to get to you, likely at the same time, you’ll be counting down the days until you get to see your parents next. Since coming to college I’ve become even closer with my mom, texting her every detail of my days. I’ve realized that I’ve always had such an amazing person so close to me, and I miss her more every day. Hangout with your parents this year so you don’t regret not spending more time with them next year!
4. Keep your GPA up
One word. Senioritis. It’s real, believe me, I know it’s real. Gone are the days of dressing cute to classes because let’s face it, you’re turning 18 and seven hours of school in a row each day isn’t feasible anymore. You probably have 6 alarms set each morning, and if you’re up by the time the last one goes off you already consider that a successful morning- despite the fact that you’re already late to AP Lit.
I hate to be the one to break the bad news to you, but your senior year grades count. If you plan on accepting any scholarships, you need to keep your GPA at the same level it’s been at for the past three years. It’s not going to be easy, especially if you’re like me and decided to take 5 (or more) AP classes your senior year of high school, but fighting to keep your A’s will pay off. Besides, in college it’s way harder to get good grades, and you’re balancing so much more than you were in high school. If you can master time management your senior year, you’ll be a lot more prepared when your first semester of college begins.
5. Start thinking about your academic talents and passions
Whatever you do, do not google “highest paying degrees in college”. That’s what I did, and I started off my year as an environmental engineering major. The subjects I struggled with the most in high school were math and science. Needless to say, it didn’t take long to discover my mistake. It’s not that I didn’t know I wanted to write. Honestly, I just never figured that I could turn my passion into a career and make a living out of it. Everyone I knew was going pre-med, pre-law, or into engineering. These are not the only majors in college, and definitely not the only majors you can make a living off of by pursuing. One of my favorite quotes is "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life".
It’s also completely acceptable to be undecided when you apply to and begin college. Your entire high school career has been spent taking classes that you were required to take to graduate, but once you graduate you have the option of filling your new schedules with so many unique courses. Eventually you’ll find that one of your classes isn’t just a class to you, it’s your calling.
6. CHERISH your free time
I reminisce often about the days where I would come home from school and think, “what should I do today?”. Now I live on a schedule so tight that occasionally I forget that things like meals and sleep are actually necessary. Enjoy your afternoons spent lingering around the house, drinking tea and watching Netflix. I miss Netflix.
7. Appreciate your room
I was so excited for dorm life. I couldn’t wait to have the cutest “home away from home”, decorate my walls, stock up my mini fridge, and settle in. Now, the food in my fridge is likely rotting, my room (which is approximately the size of a cardboard box) is contaminated with the germs from several colds that both my roomie and I have brought back, and my mountain of dirty clothes is threatening to spill out of the bag and flood my room any day now if I don’t do my laundry soon. My room at home was my oasis, my room in college is just for sleeping.
8. Become friends with your teachers
In high school, I was never a student that ever had a problem with my teachers. In fact, one of my biggest pet peeves was when other students were rude to them. Teacher’s are worth a hell of a lot more that they are earning, and are there because they want to see you succeed. Becoming friends with so many of my teachers not only gave me easy access to stellar letters of recommendation, but also introduced me to several great mentors. An added bonus- teacher’s will be easier on you when you’re fighting your senioritis if they actually like you.
9. Make new friends
It might seem like you already have the best group of friends you could possibly find, after all, you’ve been with the same group of people for years by now. But if you think about it, how many people are in your graduating class that you’ve never even talked to? Probably a lot. This is your last chance to get to know some of the awesome people in your grade before everyone parts ways, so take advantage of this time. Some of the best people I met in high school I met my senior year, which never would’ve happened if I closed myself off to those that I hadn't known my entire life.
10. Make amazing memories!
Pretty self explanatory! High school only happens once in your life, so watch the football games, dress up for spirit days, and go to your senior prom. I couldn’t honestly tell you that I enjoyed high school more than I’m enjoying college, because that would be a lie and you should be so excited for the amazing adventure you’re about to go on. However, there are elements of high school that you will miss once you graduate, and you should embrace every fleeting moment you have before you enter the real (and scary) adult world.
