Attention all seniors:
First and foremost, congratulations! We have made it to our second and last semester of high school. While this is an incredibly exciting time in our lives, it is becoming increasingly difficult to continue with so many unknowns looming in front of us. College, roommates, majors, and our entire futures are awaiting us, now we just have to be patient. A select few have already committed to their dream schools (I’m extremely proud and slightly jealous), and many of us are still waiting to hear, or even worse, have already heard. Mid-December came with Early Decision results and not everyone received the outcome they were hoping for (myself included). While I have been on a never-ending carousel ride of the five stages of grief, I have learned a few things that could be helpful to those experiencing similar emotions.
For those of you who are already accepted and committed, my deepest congratulations. You worked hard the past 4 years and now you can relax! Time to start looking for a roommate and buying dorm decor! Shower shoes and mattress toppers are must-haves but don’t forget to bring things that make you happy. Framed photos, twinkle lights, posters, plants, and cozy blankets are all important to make the drastic change in environment a little easier.
For those accepted and not yet committed, make sure to take time and evaluate each and every aspect of the possible colleges. Location, food, diversity, cultural and religious affiliations, campus size, offered majors, weather, and research and job opportunities are all important to consider when making a big decision. However, while it is a big decision try not to put too much pressure on yourself. You will end up where you are meant to be, and if you don’t like where you end up, you can always transfer.
Now we move into the heartbreakingly unfair side of this process. Rejection. When applying to schools, especially Early Decision it is impossible not to picture yourself there. I know I took part in visualizing my dorm room and stalking the school’s social media. While this is unhelpful, it is natural. It is human nature to have dreams and be hopeful. I know when opening that rejection letter your heart most likely broke and it felt like every single human emotion was drowning you all at once. It is important to let those feelings wash over you, but know that it is just a wave. The tide will go back out and you will catch your breath. Feel and acknowledge every single pang of anger, jealousy, and sadness, because you are human, and sometimes accepting those feelings is all you can do. Plus, when you do get accepted, that anger will turn into glee, the jealousy will turn into anticipation, and sadness will turn into excitement. After you take time to mourn and accept the heartbreak, it’s time to take action. Evaluate the schools you have already applied to and apply to more! This outcome may have shut a window but it has opened a whole new door to tons of other schools. Most importantly, know that it happened for a reason! Learn and grow from this outcome and don’t let this one decision crush your dreams, but allow it to reshape them.
In between rejection and acceptance is an outcome I know all too well, deferral. One foot in, one foot out is not a comfortable place to be, especially when your future is at stake. After getting deferred, especially from your dream school it is nearly impossible to feel stable. There is a constant internal battle between two sides of your brain. Logic vs hope. Brain vs heart. One side motivates you to apply to more schools and encourages you to forget about the school you once dreamt of. Forget them! You’re too good for them anyway! The other side however is stuck, unmoving, at that one school. Burning desire mixed with icy sadness is a killing combination, resulting in an everlasting numb feeling of defeat. The waiting to come is going to be the hardest part. These two emotions, hope and despair, will continue to battle a feisty war until you at last hear the final decision, and one side wins. Until then, like rejection, it is important to feel the breadth of all these emotions. This is the first time you are feeling these intense, strange, crippling feelings, but it will not be the last so learn how to understand and handle them.
No matter the outcome of your college applications, I am truly proud of the class of 2025. We have all worked so hard and deserve to see our dreams realized. But, if you didn’t get the outcome you hoped for, remember that life has strange ways of working itself out, even if it doesn’t seem like it right now. Likewise, there is only one semester left in your high school career, it’s time to make the most of it. While the past 3 and a half years have been full of long nights and anxiety, it is almost over. Take time to appreciate where you are at this moment. Surrounded by people you have known all your life, in one of the most beautiful places on earth. Spend time with old friends, make new friends, thank your teachers, and remember that these are the days you will soon be looking back on with rose-tinted glasses of nostalgia.