How to Survive 1st Semester Senior Year

Hey guys,

I am sorry that it has been so long but senior year has been hard. Applying to colleges has been time consuming and classes have been harder than I have expected. However, I am almost done with my first semester. I know, my school is weird and our semester ends in February. I have gained a lot of knowledge on how to get through this crazy time.  Here are my tips!

Apply Early- I have applied to 5 colleges and I got into all 5! I now have such a weight off my shoulders knowing that I have options and no longer stressing. I totally recommend applying to colleges early (i did early action) so that you can hear back quicker and focus on other things.

Take Hard Classes-  I know this is not what you want to hear. You have been waiting all that time to have an easy senior year, but sadly colleges don't want to see that. Also, if you are only taking easy classes you will not go to school. I am taking 3 AP classes and an extra math and English class. Each day is somewhat of a challenge, but keeps me focused.

Work Experience- I know there are a lot of opinions on whether or not to have a job in high school, but my job has been one of the best parts of my high school experience. It also taught me how to handle and save my money, a skill a class will never teach me. If you are able to work somewhere that you will enjoy, do it.

Join Clubs- My school doesn't have a ton of clubs that interest me, but this year I joined 2 and founded one. I didn't realize how easy it was to start a club and how interesting they can be. Ours meet at lunch so it isn't a huge time commitment either.

Don't Stress About Tests- I thought I was going to take the SAT and ACT again this fall but I realized that stressing for weeks isn't worth 30 points or 2 points. I will tell you this and I want you to repeat it again, YOU ARE MORE THAN A TEST SCORE. Yes, the tests are super important but there is so much more to a student like grades and activities.

Know Your Limits- I thought this year I was going to go to every single game and lead all of the cheers. Well guess what, I like games but I don't love them. I went to about half the home games and only went for as long as I wanted to. I had fun, but I didn't get overwhelmed with it.  Don't feel like you need to do everything because its your senior year, but do show school spirit.

Take Time- Knowing that I will be somewhere else in 9 months freaks me out in the best way possible. However, I feel like I need to spend so much time with my family and friends. I think this is a good and bad thing, but spend time with the people you love. I will never regret time I spend with my mom or grandma.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this and if you have any questions please comment or email me!