As a senior, I know firsthand the last year of high school can become very stressful. Seniors often juggle schoolwork, jobs, sports and other activities, all while they decide the best path for their future.  

It is difficult to figure out what the future holds, whether that means a trade school, going to college or getting a job right out of high school. Yes, senior year is a fun experience, but it can cause a lot of stress.  

  According to Guidance Counselor Mr. David Newell, the biggest cause for stress is the transition. He added that it is just not seniors, but also for incoming freshmen starting in the high school. 

Seniors feel like they need to know what they want to do, and that is a lot of pressure to put on someone. Sometimes getting different experiences help students realize what they want to do with the rest of their lives. For example, a person could go into college to be a Physical Therapist, but after doing volunteer work or other hands-on experience, that person realizes that they would rather be a nurse. So, not knowing what the future holds is not a bad thing, but a chance to learn more about possibilities that exist and paths available. 

Senior Brooklyn Wade said that she was stressed while waiting to see if she was accepted into Bloomsburg University. She added that Nursing at Bloomsburg is a hard program to get into with limited seats but found out she was accepted into the program in October. 

“After I got my acceptance letter I felt so relieved,” she said. 

Senior Rachel Gensel said her least favorite thing about senior year has been dealing with college applications, scholarships and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA), which is an annual process for college students seeking aid for expenses.  

Rachel said that seniors should have a specific time to work on college or future related work. “Having Pride Time is nice, but I have to use that time to get my school work done,” she added. 

Taking time to recuperate will benefit seniors in the long run. For me, taking breaks and time to breathe, to contain everything going on helps relieve stress. When a student is constantly running around and has a lot of work to do, sometimes just taking a second to breathe can help calm nerves. 

For instance, if a student is taking three core classes and has three tests in one week, that person would naturally be under a lot of stress. Studying for many finals at once can cause a lot of stress, especially for seniors who need the classes to graduate. Instead of freaking out, studying for a set amount of time and then taking a break can help students get the break they need.  

Listening to music while trying to study can also help ease anxiety. 

As a senior, there are also a lot of fun things going on. Senior Skip Day, field trips, prom and other fun activities can help ease the stress of senior year. The best thing for seniors to do is indulge in as much as possible. The more that a student is involved in, the happier they could be. 

There is a lot going on and it is a very important year, so as a senior, eliminating stress and simply having fun will make senior year a fun and exciting experience.