Dear Future Seniors,

Freshmen, you may not be thinking about it but it’ll come before you know it. Sophomores, you’re halfway there, and juniors, prepare for a bittersweet ride.

Summer is just around the corner and the next wave of students are eagerly awaiting to receive their first high school schedules, their first campus tour, their first day, their first high school crush, their first school dance, their first basketball game; we’ve all been there, even if the stress of being in it has replaced those feelings.

Freshman year is the year of “firsts,” senior year is the year of “lasts.” It’s kind of funny how it works like that.

Not only will college applications taunt you, so will the infamous Genius Project, the project Sage Creek is known for. Simplicity is what will help you through this three-year-long process. Nine out of every 10 students will present forum day with the title, “My Failure of a Genius Project” or “What I didn’t do,” not only embarrassing themselves but giving the present of a lovely headache to your peers as well as English teachers. Make it your goal to not be one of those nine. Even if that means you have to abandon that idea of ending world hunger or teaching illiterate students the entirety of English. Know what you have access to and use that to your advantage. Ask yourself, “what am I equally as passionate about and what is equally feasible?” Talk to your peers, get advice and stay motivated!

And I know you want to finish this project but do not hesitate to put your future before it. Start your personal statement essays for college apps the second senior year starts, share them with your teachers, share them with your parents, share them with your peers and edit, edit, edit! Make it clear that YOU will be a vital addition to the college campus you’re applying for. Letters of recommendation need to be requested by a teacher or counselor who knows you very well in person; do not just send a simple email. If you have the opportunity, use part of the summer to visit colleges. It is a great way to get a feel for what you like and dislike in a campus! And it is never too early to start looking for scholarships. Some great resources for scholarship opportunities are the San Diego Foundation, Unigo, and Niche.

If you think you can just “coast” through senior year, you’re not right, but you’re also not wrong. Remind yourself, these teachers want you to graduate, they do not want to have to see you in their classroom for one more year. Depending on if you want to continue your all A’s streak or simply pass with C’s, showing up is going to be the most important factor. Senioritis is a real thing and seniors everywhere seem to catch it — especially during the genius project season. You will be given time in class to work on homework and projects so there’s almost no excuse to be falling behind besides your own laziness or lack of time management skills.

With school, sports, work and the stress of college, it can be hard to remember to spend time with your family. We may not all be moving far away, some of us will still be living at home, but nevertheless, senior year might be the last year you will be dependent on your parents. Spend as much time as you can with them. Same goes for your friends: use this year to make memories. Explore local spots that you’ve never explored before. Go to the beach and meet new people.

Where you end up going to college is not going to define the rest of your life. Wherever you go, from CSUSM or MiraCosta to USC or Princeton, in the end, it is going to be what you make of your education. This goes for all education, even as you’re finishing up junior year. Also, make it a goal of yours to go to school events, with or without a date; school dances are fun and make for amazing memories and laughs.

Never forget that a “thank you” can go a long way. Show appreciation to the people who have grown with you and helped you throughout high school. You are you because of their help. Even those who have wronged you, have made you stronger and more resilient.

Most importantly, remember the 5 by 5 rule — if it won’t matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes upset by it. Do not dwell on other’s mistakes and open yourself up to making more friends.

Senior year goes by in a blink of an eye, as a matter of fact looking back at it all, high school goes by in a blink of an eye. Make the most of it and always remember where your roots are as you finish your last step towards adulthood. #BOBBIES4LYFE #LIVELOVESCHS

From,

A soon to be former-senior