How To: Enjoy Senior Year

It may not seem like it while walking into school during the first few days of freshman year, but High School really does go by fast…Before you know it, prom tickets will be going on sale, you’ll be ordering your cap and gown, and you’ll be choosing where to attend the following fall. In the meantime, here’s a few pieces of advice from high school seniors on how to make the most of your senior year.

Spend time with your family. As much as they may annoy you, you shouldn’t forget about your family. You may not realize it based on where you are right now, but your little brother who gets on your nerves every morning is going to miss you. Your mom is going to miss you. So will your dad, and of course, your dog will miss you too. Hold onto them a little bit tighter during those last few months you have at home with them. Spend more time talking to them each night about your day, and go with them when they ask if you want to go out to eat. Don’t miss out on the opportunities you have to spend with the people you love.

Don’t miss opportunities to spend time with your friends. Senior year is the last few months that you and your friends will all be together. Unfortunately, you most likely won’t stick together or go to the same school. So enjoy your friends and their company. Don’t pass up the opportunity to hang out or go out with them. Remember, your life will never be the exact same way as it is those last few months before graduation. Hold onto your friends and make as many memories as you can.

Where you attend college is not who you’ll be. Don’t feel pressured to choose a school that’s “prestigious” or has a well-ranked profile. Your selected choice is so much more than the rank, prestige, or how difficult it is to be admitted. Also, rankings provide just a number with little to no meaning and there’s no clear definition of prestige, so they shouldn’t be deciding factors. Remember, choosing a college is about picking the right fit for you, not impressing your classmates or colleagues. It’s like trying to find the right fit for your unique, one-of-a-kind puzzle piece. Don’t let anyone else’s puzzle influence you crafting yours.

Keep your grades up, but don’t go crazy. Congrats! You’re going to college and your hard work from freshman to junior year has paid off. Don’t forget to reflect on your accomplishments and grades. Although it may seem like your grades don’t matter anymore, they do. It’s okay to not go as above and beyond with studying as you used to, but you should still put in some effort. Some colleges require a mid-year transcript and most require an end-of-year transcript. Enjoy your life, but don’t let your “senioritis” cause a significant drop in your grades.

Attend and enjoy your senior events. No one is “too cool” and no, and they aren’t stupid. For many people, high school may not have been the best of times socially. However, you should still make the most of the all the events, ceremonies, and proms that come your way. Senior year only happens once, so have fun with the opportunities you have to “be a senior.”

Study for your AP tests. Yes, you just want school to end and you can’t take studying anymore. However, preparing for AP exams really is the final push of your senior year. In the bigger picture, they are just tests. However, they have purpose… such making the course you took during year worthwhile and getting college credit. It’s not the end of the world if you don’t get the score you want, but do your best. No matter where you are in life, always do something that your future self will thank you for.

Enjoy where you are now. Remember to enjoy your senior year while it lasts, but take a moment and relax. The last few months are quite bittersweet, but just enjoy it because you will never feel these moments again. Appreciate the lectures in your rigorous classes with your dedicated teachers, seeing your friends when you walk into school in the morning, the morning announcements, sports practices, home games or meets, and so on. Good luck to all rising seniors and congratulations to the Class of 2019!