Guest Post: Inside the mind of your average high school senior post-applications

By Sanika, an anxious yet sentimental senior from the Class of 2019

Post application period is a very odd, stressful and overall confusing time. As you hear your friends get acceptances into top IVY’s or UC’s  while you on the other hand hear literally nothing from schools, it’s hard to not feel [unmotivated].

But, there’s nothing you can do but wait for the future acceptances and rejections to come, making you feel unmotivated to do well in school (senioritis is a real disease) but also anxious. The end result is [confusion].

Plus there’s a completely different kind of stress. The “goodbye forever” stress where everything is full of “last moments”. Last party with your friends, last time being considered a “kid”, last time going to that one pretty spot in town to take pictures. Overall just a bunch of lasts with people who you may never see again that you’ve grown extremely close to over the past 4 years.

Trust me, I will most likely not look back on my high school years as my “glory days” , but a part of me definitely feels like moving on from high school to college is bittersweet. Yes, we are moving on to “bigger and better” places, but going into these  completely unknown “greater” places is also terrifying. We will actually be adults and have to be responsible.

Additionally, it’s also stressful because transitioning from the simplicity of high school to college shows that life moves on fast: one day I was a freshman watching the seniors complain about senioritis now I AM that senior, simultaneously deciding where to spend the next 4 critical years of my life. Plus there’s that other stress where you have to do “adult” things- like get married, get a good paying job, have kids etc etc and going to college pretty much “starts” that whole life process. To sum up what I just said: too much is happening too quickly.

I’m ready for life to move on, but wish it would move on just a tiny bit slower.

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

About Jill Yoshikawa, Ed M, Partner of Creative Marbles Consultancy

Jill Yoshikawa, EdM, Harvard ’99, a seasoned, 25 year educator and consultant, is meticulous in helping clients navigate all aspects of the educational experience, no matter the level of complexity. She combines educational theory with experience to advise families, schools and educators. A UCSD and Harvard graduate, as well as a former high school teacher, Jill works tirelessly to help her clients succeed.
View all posts by Jill Yoshikawa, Ed M, Partner of Creative Marbles Consultancy →