Nov. 1 is a huge day for seniors. For anyone applying to college Early Action, this is the day that we seal our fate and must click submit on the Common Application. You can’t worry anymore about whether your college essay is perfect or if you should add one more activity to your resume. The stress is gone, even if it’s only temporary until the next round of applications are due.
Applying to college is a big step in our lives, and we should celebrate accordingly. This day is the time for seniors to enjoy being a kid and forget about the future, even if only for a few hours. Here’s a few ways to enjoy the relaxation and light-heartedness of being done with applying to your first round of colleges.
For the past four years, all we have been doing is reading required books, sticky notes on every page, and dialectical journals after every chapter. Now that we finally have a break, read a book that you actually enjoy. Whether it is a Nicholas Sparks tale, rereading your favorite Harry Potter, or reminiscing of the old days with Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House, enjoy the time you have to actually read something you want to.
Since September, seniors have been stressed with applications on top of the homework for all their classes, and this has definitely forced some to stay up into the late hours of the night to finish. You have probably missed some shows that you typically watch, but now is the time to catch up or try something new on Netflix. Whether it’s Game of Thrones or One Tree Hill, take advantage of the free time you have before midyear exams or your next round of applications. With the stress of applying minimized, there is no shame in spending a portion of your afternoon lounging on the couch or in your bed enjoying some quality television.
The newfound free time with applications complete can also be used to join a new club at school. Scituate High School offers a plethora of opportunities for students to get involved in a variety of ways. Senior Andrew Fiddler said, “I’m going to participate in more music groups and join international club after I finish applying to college.”
One thing all seniors have absolutely been deprived of this year is sleep. It is impossible to go on Twitter or Facebook without seeing someone complaining of staying up too late finishing an assignment or not being able to crawl out of bed in the morning because they haven’t been able to get enough sleep. Now that your workload is reduced, take the time to go to bed at 8 o’clock and catch up on the shut eye you have been sorely missing.
Most importantly however, don’t let the feeling of finishing the Early Action process force you to lose track of your determination to finish out senior year. Many of us are also applying Regular Decision so the process isn’t over yet. Don’t let senioritis ruin your year, as many colleges will still see your grades for the year which can affect their decisions. Enjoy the break, but don’t quit yet on high school.