{"id":4163,"date":"2015-08-27t09:00:23","date_gmt":"2015-08-27t16:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/?p=4163"},"modified":"2016-11-16t05:20:43","modified_gmt":"2016-11-16t13:20:43","slug":"twenty-things-i-wish-id-known-before-senior-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/gen\/twenty-things-i-wish-id-known-before-senior-year\/","title":{"rendered":"twenty things i wish i\u2019d known before senior year"},"content":{"rendered":"
this past week i was grabbing a smoothie with several soon-to-be seniors (boy, do i love unintentional alliteration). naturally, the topic of school came into conversation and, upon hearing their array of concerns, i was inspired to come up with this. so voila! here is an exceptionally lengthy and most certainly over-kill list of what i wish i\u2019d known (in no particular order) before starting twelfth grade.<\/p>\n
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there\u2019s a comfort that comes with being a senior. you\u2019ve made it through rounds upon rounds of testing, you\u2019ve established who your friends are, what teachers are on your side. but don\u2019t let that deter you from hitting the ground running. applying to college is daunting (big shocker, i know), and the longer you put off writing those essays, the more stress that will build.<\/p>\n
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you\u2019re going to have one of these. or, in my case, one million. and, no matter who you are or what your situation is, that\u2019s perfectly okay. if you need to cry it out: do so. if you need to take a day off from school to get some rest: do so. if you don\u2019t take that time for yourself, self-inflicted paralysis will easily derail you.<\/p>\n
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it\u2019s going to feel like your in a horse race at times, fighting to get into the same schools and measuring your worth by comparing accomplishments. save yourself the energy and knock it off. applying to college is much better when approached as an individual experience. focus on your own strengths and your own future.<\/p>\n
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overcrowding yourself with responsibility is the easiest way to resent senior year. you\u2019ll have a fair amount on your plate as is, so don\u2019t feel the need to keep building up a college resume that\u2019s already been sent in.<\/p>\n
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you have a duty to maintain your prior commitments, whether that\u2019s to your sport, your clubs, or simply your education. mix up your approaches if you have to; practice at different times or study in new places you wouldn\u2019t have bothered studying in before. by actively striving to stay engaged, you can help combat the perpetual boredom.<\/p>\n
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they\u2019re going to drive you absolutely crazy<\/a> some days (weeks), asking about schools and majors<\/a> and sat scores. remember that they\u2019re trying to sift through their own emotions during this process and only want to see you succeed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n if this is an option at your school, heavily consider taking advantage of it. i was not able to have a free period senior year, and consequently missed out on some great food runs with friends, trips to the beach, and extra hours that could have been devoted to class work, applications, and sleep.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n there\u2019s a high likelihood that you\u2019ll experience a dip in your motivation at some point. don\u2019t hate yourself for it. don\u2019t deny falling victim to it. acknowledge that it\u2019s there and then try to keep truckin\u2019.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n when scholarships open up in the winter, you will be positively disgusted by essays and questionnaires. fill them out anyway. every hour of effort may be rewarded with a nice chunk of money \u2013 a whole lot more than minimum wage, that is.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n there are a lot of kids in school that you\u2019re friends with out of convenience. you\u2019ve shared a class. you park next to each other. these relationships may not last long after graduation, and you want to ensure that you cherish them while they\u2019re still a part of your routine. on the flip side, senior year shouldn\u2019t be bombarded with needless drama; distance yourself from negativity to concentrate on what (and who) really matters.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n it\u2019s senior year; you\u2019re going to have some brutal mornings. if you want to try hard and look presentable, the more power to you. if, like myself, you are a creature of comfort, then don those baggy clothes with pride.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n you may feel pressured to continue taking at least as many ap\u2019s as you did in your junior year. this is not to say that you absolutely shouldn\u2019t, but really consider what it is you\u2019re signing up for. will you actually put in the effort for a strong grade? will you actually study as much as you need to for the test? within reason, colleges won\u2019t see easing up on your schedule as a huge red flag. (for perspective, i took 6 ap\u2019s as a junior, but only 3 as a senior).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n interestingly enough, my teachers are what i miss the most about high school. in college, you\u2019ll have a much harder time finding professors who carry the same level of care for not only your education but also your well-being. try to stay in touch with them after you leave and make it clear how grateful you are for their efforts.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n7. schedule a free period<\/h2>\n
8. senioritis is okay<\/h2>\n
9. scholarship applications are worth your time<\/h2>\n
10. enjoy the people around you<\/h2>\n
11. sweatpants qualify as clothing<\/h2>\n
12. keep a lighter schedule<\/h2>\n
13. openly appreciate your teachers<\/h2>\n
14. rejection will not define you…<\/h2>\n