As senior year sets off the closing, we begin to look back and reflect on the past four years. The highs, the lows, and all the in between that made an impact on us and shaped us into the people we are today. Four years may seem like forever when you’re barely starting or only half-way, but in reality it goes by faster than anticipated. It may be cliché to hear that, since it is always what’s told to us since the very beginning but it’s true.

Before I knew it, junior year was starting and the “only one more year” mentality began to kick in. I always thought junior year would be the toughest considering SATs, CAASPP, AP exams, and finals were all within the last two months before summer. I figured I just had to work hard and push through to the end of junior year and senior year would finally be the break I deserved. However, once August came, a break became the least of my worries.

With college applications, FAFSA, scholarships, school work, and extracurricular activities all piling up within the first three months, the stress levels rise quickly. There are multitudes of distractions and it doesn’t help that it’s dark all the time, making it easier for us to lose motivation. 

On the brighter side, once we pull through, it makes the feeling of accomplishment that much bigger. Procrastination plays a big role throughout high school for many students. Senioritis definitely amplifies the lack of motivation and the decrease in the sense of productivity. Realizing this and hoping to not be one of the many that fall into this stigma can be used as an incentive to keep going.  In all sincerity, focusing on yourself and your goals should be one of the most important priorities.

With this being said, it certainly okay to have fun considering it is senior year. We should make the best of it because this year, we won’t have the opportunity to do anything again “next year.”

So yes, you should treat yourself every now and then, hang out with your friends and do whatever makes you happy in the end. However, don’t let your social life negatively affect your academics. Being a teenager is hard as it comes with many temptations but that’s where prioritization should be applied. 

Senior year is already coming to a halfway stop and personally, I couldn’t be more excited. The past three months have been extremely hectic for me. But not everyone’s experience is the same. It is all about the amount of effort and number commitments we individually apply into our senior year. Not all of us may want an extremely busy year, and that’s perfectly fine. Being extremely involved is not for everyone, but we should aim to find at least one thing that we enjoy being a part of.

Regardless of all the responsibilities we will encounter at the commencement of our last year, we just have to keep in mind that we are barely starting on our life journey and it is okay if we don’t have everything figured out like some of our peers may seem to have. As long as we put in the effort to become who and what we want, it’ll all turn out fine.