The Last Year of Highschool

We’ve all heard that this year is supposed to be the best year of all, the grand finale to your formal education, and it is, in a way. But with the good side there is a bad one; last year students are some of the most stressed-out people around. This can really muffle the fun in the last year.

Why are they so stressed? Well, they want to make it into the university of their choice and they want to win a good scholarship to help them pay for the outrageous costs. They are about to leave the nest and try their luck in the world. They don’t know what they will become really, or if they have what it takes to attain the career they desire.

So, in the fall they send off their choices, after hours of pouring over reviews, listening to representatives, and touring schools. Then the waiting game begins. They have to sit in suspense for about half a year before they hear anything. During this time they have to make themselves “the ideal students” with top marks, extra-curricular activities, volunteer experience, and interesting accomplishments.

It is extremely stressful because this is their entire future, cast into the merciless hands of admissions officers they don’t even know. If they don’t get in, they’ll lose their dream career; if they don’t win a scholarship, they might not be able to afford it.

Students become overworked and susceptible to illness. They get mono, become constantly tired, develop insomnia, depression, and many other disorders in the wait. They go to the doctor and as soon as he hears their symptoms, he knows it is stress. He can’t do much for them, however.

By the time April rolls around, early admissions are being sent to top-notch students. It is a time of happiness and apprehension. The top students can sigh in relief. The students who do not receive early acceptance tend to think they won’t be accepted, and simply lose hope.

These next few months will see the futures of thousands of teens decided. If they have worked hard at school and been the best that they can be, then they shouldn’t have to worry. It is a time for them to relax and wait for a well-earned reward. For those students who have done as little as possible in academics, extracurricular activities, and volunteering, it is a time to face the consequences. However, even these people can find a place at a university and salvage their lives, if they so desire.

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