Senior year is definitely the craziest and most overwhelming year of high school. With college applications and decisions with looming deadlines, it can be difficult to manage all the stress one may encounter. The media often likes to make high school and specifically senior year seem very easy and relaxing. which it can be once you learn to deal with schoolwork and everything it entails. Your senior year also represents your "last chance" to do whatever you want before you have to be an adult and start your independent life. Although there is a lot to take in, it is important to find a healthy balance and to also enjoy your remaining days in high school. Here are some expectations and reality of senior year that can clear up any misconceptions for underclassmen.
EXPECTATION:
It's senior year so you don't have to care about school as much.
REALITY:
The truth is, colleges do look at senior year grades, so make sure you maintain your grades and show effort in all your work. Also it is important to keep good relationships with your teachers as they could potentially write recommendation letters for your college applications and will represent you in the eyes of universities.
EXPECTATION:
"Senioritis" is a myth.
REALITY:
This is probably the biggest misconception. Many students enter senior year motivated and hopeful of finishing the year on a strong note, but unfortunately many of us lose motivation to continue with schoolwork, especially after college decisions come out and everyone begins to commit to their respective universities. Staying engaged and present at school becomes very taxing for many seniors, but it is also important to note that Northview's attendance policies are rather stringent and that skipping is probably not the most constructive response to senioritis.
EXPECTATION:
Senior skip days are definitely life-altering for those who participate.
REALITY:
I hate to break it to the underclassmen, but senior skip days are not what they are cracked up to be. As per traditional hardworking Northview student fashion, many skip days are spent catching up on schoolwork and college applications and anything else in between, with a Netflix break somewhere in the middle, ranging from 20 minutes to 6 hours in some extreme cases.
EXPECTATION:
You aren't going to make any new friends senior year.
REALITY:
Fortunately, this expectation is very false. Since the beginning of senior year, I have become friends with so many people I didn't really know or talk to in my classes in the past 3 years and getting to know them has been really cool and gratifying, especially when interacting with fellow struggling seniors.
All in all, while it is important to meet deadlines and finish assignments, it is also important to unwind and cherish all the people around you in this critical time of your life and enjoy yourself as much as you can while you're still free of adult responsibilities. If you believe in yourself, you will come to appreciate everything that has been consistent in your life up until this point and go forth in this new chapter of your life with confidence.