By Mirolla Mekaiel
As the middle of the school year unfolds, most seniors have finished all of their college applications and feel as though they can finally enjoy their final semester of high school. The last semester involves students having to make important decisions for their futures, with many still receiving decisions from colleges for their preferred major. Others are planning to join the workforce or the military. Overall, many seniors are excited to be able to enjoy their last semester without the stresses of completing college applications.
“I finished all of my college applications in December, and it feels so nice to be done with them. Now, I’m waiting for all of the responses from the colleges before making some final decisions on where to go. Filling out college applications was such a long process, and I am so glad to be done with all of them,” senior Benjamin Wang said.
Some seniors felt like the stress of college applications were restricting their abilities to enjoy their senior year.
“I am done with all of my applications. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my back. I can finally enjoy things like senior week, going out to lunch and the chill schedule,” senior Ruth Solomon said.
Source by Christina Wilson
Seniors finally feel as though they can kick back and enjoy the time left they have at New Hyde Park Memorial High School before entering the next stage of their lives.
“I’m looking forward to spending time with friends and being able to relax. I really want to enjoy my time here with them before we all end up going somewhere else. I want to do everything I truly can before it’s over and just enjoy it,” senior Anthony Perkins said.
“I want to enjoy every moment to the fullest especially because I know that this time next year will be so different,” senior Ayesha Rashid said.
Although the first half of the year was challenging, seniors are hopeful that the second semester will make up for any lost fun.
“As we enter the second half of the school year, there are more fun activities to take part in, and it is more relaxed, which makes it more enjoyable,” Solomon said.
As the end of the school year approaches, juniors are starting to think about their plans for the upcoming school year. Some have started researching and visiting different colleges in order to be prepared for the college application process. Others are working hard to maintain good grades while also balancing studying for standardized tests and taking part in different extracurricular activities. While it is important to start the college search early, it is also difficult to balance that with the current academic workload that juniors have.
“I had always heard that junior year was going to be stressful, and it’s crazy to believe that I’m now a junior with senior year and college looming right around the corner,” junior Grace Heskial said. “In order to prepare, I’ve been meeting with my guidance counselor, discussing possible careers, colleges, resumes and more. I went to a few college expos, just to expose myself to the whole college application process, and I’ve started to think about possible topics for my college essay. Junior year definitely has a lot more to it than other grades have had with APs, tests and college prep, so it can definitely be stressful, but if you work to manage and pace yourself, then it’s manageable with its challenges.”