The last high school year of your life starts with new opportunities and experiences that will undoubtedly make it one of the most memorable high school years ever.

However, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Senior year also signifies starting college applications (very intimidating for some), taking your final SAT exams, applying for scholarships, and looking for financial aid if you need them; all while STILL trying to balance your schoolwork and extracurricular activities.  

It sounds tiring, doesn’t it? If you are feeling lost or confused about how to survive the next couple of months, keep reading! Below you will find five tips that will hopefully lessen the burden this year may bring. 

#1: Start Early 

 Starting college applications can be quite a stressful process. They require lots of time and reflection, hence why starting as early as possible is the most important step into getting ahead in your college applications. It is better to be done early than to be done late.  

Start brainstorming topics, writing your college essays, seeking out advice from peers or letters of recommendation from teachers, taking your final standardized tests (if you need them), and filling out scholarships and financial aid as soon as possible. Especially with financial aid (or the FAFSA), completing it as soon as you can is the best way to ensure you have the support you need.

Starting early will allow you to have some time to reflect on your applications and edit them accordingly with time and patience. Plus, it will also limit your stress as you will most likely be overcome with schoolwork and activities. 

#2: Remember that senioritis is real

Your senior year will be full of exciting moments and events. However, do not let this excitement guide you away from your academies and responsibilities. Senioritis does happen. Seniors tend to relax and lay back in their last year, forgetting they still have to maintain their academics to graduate.  Do not give up until you are completely finished.  

Still do your homework, complete your assignments, participate in class, and attend school every day. Still try your very best until the finish line. While it isn’t bad to have fun, try not to get influenced by others and focus on your own goals and yourself. Your future self will thank you later.  

#3: Make sure to research before you commit

When it comes to applying to different colleges, it is very important to know these colleges well and understand why you are interested in them. Do not simply apply to a college just because you’ve heard good things about it, or just because of its reputation or beautiful campus. Apply to it because you like it and are genuinely interested in it.  

Go to the college’s website and research everything about it. Whether it is the academics, the student life, housing, pricing, scholarships, or if it’s far away or close to home. Factors like these will determine whether this is a college that is meant for you.  

Remember, you are committing to this school for four years of your life. College is the time to make meaningful connections, career wise or personal; it is also the time when you grow as a young adult. You will want to go to a place that resonates with you. Make sure you pick a college that aligns to your interests and capabilities. 

If you are undecided about a college, that is okay! Sometimes visiting a college helps, or chatting with current students or faculty. Transferring is always an option later if you find that the school doesn’t really “fit” for you.

#4: Don’t be afraid to recycle your college essays

College applications and different scholarships will require you to write essays or extended prompts in order to apply. You might feel pressured to write a thousand different essays for every single prompt.  

However, this is not always true. Unless the prompt is very specific, it is totally okay to recycle and reuse your essays for different purposes. This is especially true with scholarships that have similar themes. As long as you are still answering the prompt, you can recycle essays that are very similar to other prompts. 

Use your energy wisely and decide on the essays that you will want to recycle. Instead of writing 20 essays for many different schools, you can condense it to 10 or five and repurpose your essays to fit into the ones required.  

#5: But most of all, have fun!

This is your last high school year. You will want to enjoy it and get the best out of it. Do not let small things ruin your senior year. When you look back, you’d want fond and happy memories instead of ones filled with regret and bitterness.  

Even if you are not having your best time ever, try to redirect these feelings into finishing your high school years in the best way possible. Focus on yourself, your goals, make new friends, or participate in school activities. Then, naturally, you will end up making memories special to your heart.  

Just have fun! Remember to live in the present and try your best every day. Do not let college decisions, grades, or relationships determine your worth. You are responsible for determining your own happiness and well-being. 

Good luck to all our seniors!