Class of 2025, we made it! We survived junior year: all of the standardized tests, the pressure that this is the most important year of high school, and of course balancing a social life, our out of school responsibilities, extracurriculars and mental health. We are finally in the clear, and ready to have a great, chill year. There is just one minor wrinkle in that plan….post high school plans.
Over the next couple of weeks, we will be expected to have a plan, and be able to execute it over the course of senior year. For those of us who are planning on going to college, we have applications, and an endless list of things to do to make sure we have the best application possible. Seeing as this process is very overwhelming at times, here are a few reminders that can help you stay on track, and make the process as painless as possible.
- Stay organized: There are a lot of moving parts and elements that we need to submit to schools. It can be very easy to lose track of what you need, what you already have, and where it is. The beauty of it is that everything is submitted electronically now. I recommend regularly checking Naviance to make sure everything on that site is filled out and done. I personally have a document on Google Docs of all the things surrounding my application, so I know exactly what I need to get done, and what is already completed. Additionally, going to your guidance counselor and making sure everything is done right is always helpful. After all, they are there to answer any questions you may have throughout the process.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help: As I said, your guidance counselors are always willing to answer any questions and be of as much assistance as possible. However, there are other adults that are willing to look over your applications and help you. Teachers, and even parents always make themselves available and let you know that they are able and willing to help. Although it may feel like it, you are not alone in this, and there are people who want to help you succeed.
- Take it one day at a time: At this point, there is still time until deadlines start for most colleges. While it will definitely feel relieving once the applications are all submitted and done, don’t feel pressured to get everything done in one day. You do the amount of work that you feel comfortable doing on any given day. I recommend setting a goal for yourself every week of what you want to accomplish, and what will be the least stressful thing to get done. There may be a lot, but splitting the work over many days will make the work feel lighter.
- Remember to stay in the present: This is definitely easier said than done, however, like I alluded to at the beginning of this article, this is senior year. Whether we want to admit it or not, we don’t get these days back. Don’t let the stress of college take over and make you miss out on memories we cannot get back. I think I speak for everybody in the class of 2025 when I say we don’t want to look back on this year and have any regrets. Make sure you still have fun and get to do everything you want to do in lieu of the stress of college. Hopefully after reading this article, your stress over the ongoing college applications is subsided just a little bit! We can all get through this!