One Word: Senioritis

Senioritis, we all know what it is.  It comes to every graduating senior at some point during the year, some earlier than others, and it never goes away until graduation.  It can be easy to blame your late and incomplete assignments on this so called disease, but there are slight ways to not let it totally affect the end of your year.

1. End bad habits before they start
• If you go into senior year with the mindset that it's going to be one big party and you'll slide through with a breeze, you're probably going to think that when you wake up everyday.  It can be hard to get out of the slacker mentality; we see how it affects us every year when we come back from summer vacation.  Don't start those thoughts, and most definitely don't give in and believe them.

1. Take it one day at a time
• Yes, it can be hard to work when keep thinking that there is only a month left of school.  Instead, try not to think about how much time you have left; Try thinking about the work that you have to get done for the next day.  Before you know it, you won't have any work to do for tomorrow and you'll be done!

1. Keep in mind that your grades still matter and do fully count
• Colleges ask for your full transcript at the end of the year, and will pull scholarships or any money out, if your grades don't align with how they were when you applied.  Also, if your grades seem to be better than when you applied to the school, then they have the choice of putting in more money into your account for your good work.  

It can be very difficult to finish the year strong, especially with senioritis.  However, people do finish strong, so it isn't impossible.  We've all had to deal with it, and while it can be fun, it is important to not let it drag you down.  Also, we have to deal with it again during our senior year of college, so you'll definitely need these tips then too.  

Those Dreaded Family Events

Yay! The holidays are coming!  This may mean good or bad news depending on how you feel about your family and those family meals you have every year.  Every family is different, but it seems as though everyone has those same crazy types of family members that come around once a year.  Even if you love seeing your family every year, even the ones you can never get away from, this year will probably begin all the dreaded questions about the rest of your life.

• Have you started looking at colleges?
• What do you want to major in?
• How do you think you are going to do living with a roommate?

The questions never stop, even when you are finally in college.  

• How's the food there?
• Any difference in your love life?
• What do you do on the weekends?

It seems as though we can never get away from these questions.  Yes, they can make these family events uncomfortable, but we all go through it.  It also most definitely wouldn't be the same without them.  So we just have to suck it up, and keep pretending we know what we are doing about the rest of our lives.

A Different "College Experience"

When you see this picture, what do you think of?  It should make you think of moving away to college.  This can commonly be the only thought on someone's mind when a student is reaching their senior year of high school.  Of course, going away for college can be an interesting experience, but that isn't everyone's dream.  Some students can't stand the thought of living away on their own, and that is okay.  Some students don't have the money to go away to a four-year school, and that is okay too.  Community college is okay.

There is also the major stereotype that 18-year olds should know what they want to do for the rest of their lives.  This can be very stressful on seniors and even sometimes college students.  At this point, we are all at a very young age, and it is okay to not know what you want to do for your life.  If you feel this way at the time college applications begin, you actually should think about community college.  This will make the decision of a major a little easier as you begin your college career.  Community colleges can also have more classes to choose from as an undecided major, unlike a four year school. 

If you are thinking about going to community college when you graduate high school, it is okay.  Community college will still give you the "college experience" that a lot of people wish for, just a different one.  Everything will be okay. 

College Applications

While senior year can be described as only fun, it also requires a lot of decision making and responsibility.  You are making the biggest decision in your life thus far.  With saying this, I have compiled, in my opinion, three of the most helpful tips that can help make the college application process a little easier.

1. Apply Early
• If you think about it, the earlier you apply, the sooner the admissions team at that college sees your application.  This can mean you have more of a chance of getting accepted.  
• If your school has rolling admission, then you can find out their admission decision sooner rather than later.
• If you apply early, then that means there is less stress later.  You can get all of your stress out of the way and then just wait.
2. Establish a manageable pace
• The worst thing you can do is wait until the last minute to crank out an essay the night before the application is due.  This will mostly have no good outcome, because the people who are reading your essay will most likely be able to see that you did write it out at the last minute.  That may not look the best when they are making the decision on whether or not they want you at their school.
• Instead, a smart idea is to set deadlines; this is especially if you are applying to a lot of colleges.  Make sure you know when the applications are due at each college.  Again, this is all about being responsible.  This will help in the long run with the stress and the work load overall.  
3. Be honest
• This is mainly to help with the essay part of the application.  This essay is what distinguishes you from the thousands of other applicants that are applying to this same school.  You want to be original and make it personal.  This is the very small glimpse that the college will receive of who you are, and will most likely be the biggest decision in the admissions team's decision making process.
• Also, keep in mind that there are so many ways that someone can figure out if information is true or not.  Don't make the decision that forces someone to look up that information.  Also, if there is any false information on your application, there is a major chance that you won't be accepted in to that school.

Yes, college applications can and will be stressful.  However, keep in mind that once they are completed, you will feel so much better and you can start having fun.  Everything is going to work out and it will all be okay.