By this time of the year, most seniors have completed their college applications, begun or submitted the FAFSA, had midyear grades sent to the colleges they applied to, researched and begun applying for scholarships, and struggled to focus on schoolwork. Plagued by senioritis, these students are making future plans and decisions that cannot be made for them by parents, teachers, or school counselors. These seventeen and eighteen year olds are making decisions and choices that will potentially affect the type of jobs and careers that will be available to them. Their choices may determine their lifestyles and will significantly affect the degree of happiness or satisfaction their lives. As they prepare for a new chapter in their lives, seniors are recognizing and accepting responsibility for the choices they make and the consequences or rewards that result from these choices. They are realizing that the most fun year of high school is also the most stressful due to grades, work, colleges, and thoughts of leaving family and friends.

Several seniors, who applied to colleges early action or early decision, have already chosen where they will spend the next four years and are ready to relax for the remainder of their senior year. In the fall, Rachel VanDoorn will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison, studying to become a high school physics teacher, and Katie Nobbe will be attending Indiana University double majoring in Elementary Education and Special Education. After spending a lot time “narrowing down my options to avoid having to do tons of applications,” Katie was able to approach the process feeling “excited and totally ready.” Similarly, Rachel started “everything really early and I got it done quickly,” and with a career path in mind, she made a decision. By staying organized and focused, they were both able find the school fits their needs, and although 50 percent of college students change majors two or three times during their college years, Rachel and Katie will enter school in the fall with a very clear idea of what they want to pursue.

Other seniors, however, as they begin their second semester are nowhere near ready to make a decision and some are still waiting to receive their acceptance letters. Before Aly Blakewell can say she has finished applying, she still has to complete “a few music auditions.” Wishing to major in Music Therapy, Aly found the whole decision process “a lot harder than I was expecting” as she struggled with deciding where she wants to audition and apply. Likewise, Elaine Cotter, also unsure of her future plans but wanting to major in Musical Theater, had to complete a very “stressful but extremely rewarding” process full of auditions. By finishing her online applications early, she was able to relieve some of the stress accompanying the application process. Seniors like Mike Yoo, who applied to universities that only offer a regular decision option, are anxiously awaiting their letters, realizing that the wait is more unbearable and frustrating than the essay writing and applications that precede it. Because Mike, who is hoping to study Industrial Engineering, will not “find out about my admittance to some schools until late March,” he is unable to make a decision although he is ready “to finish high school and move on.” Furthermore, many seniors, like Claire Jablonsky and Valerie Voce, have absolutely no idea where they are going. Before she began looking at colleges, Claire thought “I knew where I wanted to go, but when I started researching, my eyes were opened, and now I am utterly confused.” Also, Valerie “thought I had my school picked out until Isaw what other schools had to offer.” Valerie and Claire are both reluctant to make a decision as they are, like many other seniors, falling in love with multiple schools. As decisions do not have to be made until May 1st, seniors still have time to continue researching, to visit the Career Center, and to learn more about different schools before they make their choices.

As seniors deal with the excitement and anticipation of senior year and college, they are also acknowledging their fears and worries about the upcoming year. Jeremy Fillip, though ready to “build memories at another school,” fears “losing the friends I already have.” Claire Jablonsky fears “besides having a psycho roommate, starting over without the friends I have had since kindergarten and without my family.” Valerie Voce is nervous “to leave the place I have called home for 18 years and leave my family and some very close friends.” Aly Blakewell reveals that she is “a little nervous about being on my own next year,” but feels she needs “to learn how to make decisions by myself and become more independent and less dependent on my parents.” Many seniors like Rachel Jensen, who expresses “ I loved my experience at PR and I have met so many great friends,” will find it hard to leave the comfort of their current lives. At the same time, seniors are ready to leave high school with their diploma, and as Elaine Cotter reveals, “we are so excited for college and to meet amazing new people in a new place. We are thrilled for a change and a new step in life.”