Senior Year — The Good, The Bad, and the (Sometimes) Ugly
By Abby Mitchell
Senior year is the year that you prepare for a new chapter of your life. Going into senior year, I was told over and over that it’s the best year of your life. I was told that it is so fun and gives you some of the best memories of your life. While some of this is true, it is definitely not all that accurate.
I have come to terms with the true meaning of being overwhelmed. Yeah, the Friday night lights, homecoming dances, and senior events are all fun and games, but they only last so long, and then you’re right back to reality. The scary part of senior year is the decision-making process that begin your future and the new chapter of your life that you are so close to being face to face with: deadlines, jobs, real world problems, college professors, college applications, and so much more.
I’m not going to lie; senior year has not been what I would consider “the best” or anything close to that. They say it is an emotional year for your parents, but it has even been very emotional for me. I just played my last high school softball game. I also had my dad walk me out on homecoming court for the last time. There are so many “lasts” in this year, and it is so sad to see how fast things come to an end. Not only is it emotional because of the end of an era, but college applications, deadlines, essays, letters of acceptance, and teacher recommendations make the process so much harder. If you went up to any of my fellow peers and asked how their senior year was going, I do believe that they would have the words “stressed” and “overwhelmed” in the statement.
My personal dream would be going to an out-of-state school, preferably Ole Miss. While it sounds amazing, this makes the college application process much more difficult because of the scholarships needed in order to pay for such a school. This is where things get difficult, but I believe in the end it’s all worth it.
I have toured many schools from UGA to Ga College to The University of Alabama and so many more, but no school made me feel at home like Ole Miss did. I instantly clicked with the atmosphere of the campus and everything it had to offer. To all my seniors out there, one thing I want you to know is that you should never settle. Do not settle for the college that is the cheapest or the one that your parents want you to go to. Find the college that you are most passionate about and that you feel like you are meant to be at and chase after it.
Yes, this process requires work and patience, but I believe that if you’re meant to be there, the Lord will provide a way. I’ve experienced first hand how this process can make everything so much harder: arguments with parents, late night essays to meet that one deadline, many many tears, and sometimes even the urge to just give up. I want you all to know that we are all going through this process together, and we have each others’ backs no matter what.
Never give up on what you’re passionate about. It’s our senior year; we are only here for a short time; live and breath every moment and enjoy yourself! You will never have an opportunity like this again!
