Within an individual’s education story there comes a pivotal chapter, encompassing both fulmination and transition. In other words, you’re a senior now. Welcome to, quite possibly, the most chaotic time in your high school career. Well, maybe you’re not quite a senior. Perhaps you’re not even in high school yet. Yet with each passing day, the anticipation swells, a crescendo building towards its inevitable peak – an educational encore, alongside its potential collegiate reprise. Regardless of where you are in your journey, As the spirit of senior year looms large on the horizon, no amount of preparation is too much preparation for your final year in the K-12 school system and the tumultuous turns that come alongside being “so close yet so far.” You’ve waited for this moment your entire life, but you probably haven’t anticipated quite what being a “senior” actually encompasses. No matter where you are right now, welcome to this mystical realm of “senior year,” and the guide to how you’re going to get through it.
The Current of Classes
Senior year is unique beyond its academics, however, this doesn’t mean that the academics are any less important. In fact, while junior year is dubbed the “overwhelmingly academic” year of high school, many neglect the senior course load that comes alongside maintaining, or even increasing, your GPA. For many, senior year is a year stacked with AP classes, dual enrollment, demanding exams, and more. In other words, just because the finish line is in sight, this doesn’t mean you’re crossing it yet. Imagine the current of classes as they continue to flow, quickening to a rapid rip current as they form the foundation of the stressful pile ons throughout the year. Keeping this foundation strong is essential, as once your schoolwork starts to crumble, so will everything else. So, in order to stay focused in your classes, that means you’ll need to tackle the looming threat of “senioritis.”
Challenging Senioritis
“Senioritis” is a word most commonly used to describe a decline in motivation or academic performance as students enter their senior year of high school. As senior year is the time when you’re bombarded by information about the next phase of your life, it’s so easy to forget about the present, and the fact that you are still a high school student, with the same demanding grades, extracurriculars, and current responsibilities–no matter what the future has in store for you. As early as the first few weeks of your senior year, sometimes even earlier, your peers may begin receiving college responses, and the pressure to figure out the future often compels us to leave the present behind. What essentially happens is that many students begin to “mentally check out.” As this happens, these seniors’ begin to become less involved in their academics and extracurriculars and they start inching towards the finish line. This hype around the idea of “being done” tricks us into thinking it’s already happened, but nothing could be less true.
So, how does one avoid falling into the trap of “senioritis”? It’s definitely not easy, especially when everything in your environment might show differently.
Senioritis is a monster that feeds off of time management weaknesses. If you’re prone to procrastination, you’ll probably find yourself frequently battling senioritis off. The best strategy is to stop it before it starts. The moment you find yourself saying “I’ll do it later,” do your best to flip that thought into “I’ll do it now so I can rest later.” Instead of racking up overdues, challenge yourself to work ahead. By working ahead, you’ll starve the senioritis monster of a meal of procrastination. As an added bonus, you’ll also bank time towards the end of semesters to study for finals, AP exams, and have extended winter, spring, and summer breaks! It’s a win-win! However, if working ahead proves to be more harmful than good for you, maintaining good time management habits is going to be your key academic weapon. Go back to the basics of creating to-do lists, time-blocking your daily schedule, and using whatever study methods have helped you in the past. To quote an excellent saying, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” This being said, if you haven’t developed any of these habits thus far, it’s probably a good time to put the basics into practice.
Staying motivated is key, though this is easier said than done. It’s so easy to get caught up in the “school-ness” of it all, that you forget what exactly school is helping you work towards. Take a moment to envision your future: where do you want to be in 5 years? What about 10 years? Whether you like it or not, school is one of the many puzzle pieces that is going to help you get there, regardless of your post-high school plans. By integrating some wellness reflection-based habits into your routine, such as vision boarding or journaling, you can remind yourself of the stepping stone school provides you, helping you take the next step towards your dreams, and helping you tackle senioritis in the process.
Study Groups are another great way to combat the senioritis beast, after all, you’re in the same boat as many of your fellow peers. Take initiative to reach out to your classmates both in and out of Live Lesson to connect and combat your assignments together. In being surrounded by built-in accountability partners, you’ll not only be reminded that you’re not alone, but you’ll be able to make the hardest parts of senior year a little more enjoyable!
Put all of these into play, and senioritis is no match for you!
College Chaos
Of course, the landmark of senior year is largely characterized by the college application process, a factor that only adds to the year’s chaos. Yes, that means that on top of your senior course load, you’ll likely be dealing with this too. While there are many articles detailing the process in depth, the following are some quick tips to prepare you!
Junior year is your time of preparation: prioritize taking your SAT, finalizing your college list, attending information sessions and more. But what do you do when you get to senior year? Well, the key with college applications is to get going and get going early.
As early as the summer before your senior year you should start working on your college applications. Now, most don’t open until August, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get started. Specifically, get going on your essays. If you’re using the Common Application, which is the most widely-used system for submitting online college applications, you’ll need to have a personal statement and then will likely have additional supplemental essays required from certain schools. Take some time in the summer to get some of these essays out of the way, as they’re going to be the last thing you’re going to want to do in the Fall semester. Additionally, take this time to draft your activities list and other aspects of your application that are fully reliant on “you.”
Once you return to school, begin outreach for your teacher recommendations! Teachers will be booked and busy soon enough, so the quicker you get your requests in, the quicker they can check them off your ever growing to-do list. It’s also always a good idea to keep a tracking system for application and financial aid deadlines as when your school work begins to pile up, it can be so easy for things to fall through the cracks. By keeping track of the important dates and deadlines, you can hopefully avoid this.
Schedule time to work on college applications the same way you did for junior year study and do your best to integrate it to be a seamless part of your schedule in the fall semester. If all goes to plan, you will likely be done by the new year and your spring semester will be college-focus free!
A Not-so-Calm Crisis
While it’s easy to reduce most of your senior year stress down to a to-do list, something you don’t usually anticipate is the small identity crisis that occurs as a result of being so close to the next chapter of your life. Figuring out what is next for you can be daunting in the least, as students confront the imminent end of their high school livelihood and the prospect of stepping into the unknown of adulthood. Many struggle with questions of self-discovery and purpose while trying to figure out their future. While coping with this crisis involves acknowledging the discomfort it brings, it also invites you to embrace the new opportunities for growth and exploration. Seeking support from family, friends, teachers, peers, mentors, and counselors can offer valuable perspective and guidance during this transformative period, and the people in your life can aid you as you navigate your evolving identities with confidence and resilience. As you move through what feels like a “not-so-calm crisis” know that in a few months time you will make it out of the other end, as so many before you have done.
The Senior “Social” Road Less Traveled
At iUniversity Prep, however, senior year is both similar and different to the senior year of a brick and mortar student. Similar in most of what has been mentioned above, but drastically different when it comes to the “social” aspects ingrained within Senior Year. Where most brick and mortar students experience senior sunrise, senior homecoming, senior lunches, and senior prom, the nature of iUPrep as an online high school means that many of these milestones don’t come part of the “final-year package.” Of course, there are some activities that are organized to be senior-specific, such as a “Senior Night” but due to their in-person location, if you don’t live in the area, it’s hard to participate in the organized senior spirit. Also, many iUPrep students with friends attending brick-and-mortar schools may choose to tag along to those events.
How do you compensate for a lacking “senior social” experience? To some students, doing so will be very important to them, but for others, they simply might not care as much as missing out on the social celebrations. If you’re someone who falls into the first category, there are a few things you can consider. You might travel to take part in some of the bigger iUPrep organized senior activities, or take advantage of the general meet-ups that occur within your area. However, if this is out of range for you, you may need to take power into your own hands. Try getting your local iUPrep friends together to partake in your own “senior sunrise!” Even if you’re close with only 1-3 peers in your area, be sure to organize going out to lunch or brunch to celebrate your senior year adventures together. While it won’t be the same as the traditional brick and mortar experience, just because something is different doesn’t make it any less special!
Words from the Wiser
The key thing to keep in mind here, no matter where you are in your senior year survival show, is that you are not alone. There are so many countless others experiencing the same stress, fears, worries, and more of the many, many emotions this time in your life inevitably begins. Below are just a few anonymous quotes from iUPrep class of 2024 seniors offering their own wise words to you:
“I don’t know where I’m going to end up for the next four years, and you know, that’s ok. So many others don’t know as well. If you don’t know what your future holds right now either, keep in mind that you’re not the only one.”
“I feel sad to leave my high school years behind, but happy to move onto the next chapter. I’m both incredibly scared and so unbelievably excited for what’s in store, which are very conflicting feelings, I know, but I think that’s just how this process goes.”
“The best thing you can do right now is be present. Plan for your future, yes, but also remember that this year is still 25% of your high school experience. Don’t let this current time go to waste.”
“My family has been my biggest support this year. I’ve found myself being very hesitant to tell my friends about my future plans because right now, nothing is set in stone. My family, however, has been so patient and understanding, especially at times when I haven’t been. I’m thankful for them, and I hope you find whatever people can support you during your senior year.”
“The worst part is how “out-of-control” everything feels. At this point, I picture what my life will look like one year from now and I really don’t know what that looks like, so I have nothing to picture. Then, I realize that one year from now, when I’m wherever I am, I’ll look back fondly to wherever I am now. Life has a funny way of working out, even if we can’t see that right now.”
Take it from these students: you are far from being alone and everything will be alright, even if it all feels up in the air at the present point in time.
Cool, Composed, & Collected
As the curtains draw near on this final act of high school, don’t forget the invaluable lessons learned and the resilience you’ve discovered. Senior year, a whirlwind of emotions and expectations, surely tests your resolve but also illuminates your strengths. From navigating deadlines, exams, and college applications to cherishing the “lasts” of highschool, each moment serves as a brushstroke on the canvas of your memories. Though the future may seem daunting, be ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead, carrying with you the spirit of perseverance, the thirst for knowledge, and the courage to chase your dreams. Now, an outside world awaits, full of wonders and opportunities for you to experience and create!
