Thoughts on Senior Year

For most of us, it's still hard to believe we're seniors. It's the biggest cliche, but high school really does fly by. We're just beginning this last year at Dunbar, and I figured I'd share my thoughts about the college search, the new rules, and senior year.

The changes we (or at least I) have gone through in the past four years are unbelieveable. At first, high school seemed huge and scary, and now it feels like I might as well live here. The teachers, students, and coaches that have been with me along the way have affected me in ways I couldn't imagine. I've learned how to think for myself, how to do math that used to seem impossible, and to not be afraid to speak in front of people.

Senior year is way different than my first three years at Dunbar. For one thing, almost all my friends have graduated, and while I knew most of the upperclassmen, now I know almost no one in the grades below me. It's a weird feeling to see all my friends growing up and living on their own, making their own choices. Also, now that I know a lot of the teachers at Dunbar I understand them better, and they're less intimidating. Being a senior on the volleyball team is also amazing because not only do I love my team, I get to play with the other four amazing seniors and bond with them on and off the court. Also, I have a lighter schedule this year than I have before, so I don't feel overwhelmed with AP classes and homework and can enjoy myself outside of school instead of stressing out.

We just had a meeting with Ms. Long about the college search, and it's very intimidating. I still feel too young to be making such important decisions about my life. The scariest thing is, nobody can make this decision for me. I'm applying to about 10 schools, and assuming I get in to at least 7 or 8 of them, I'll have a lot of choices to make. The schools I'm looking at range from mid-sized to huge, and from ten minutes away to 12 hours. Most of them are good schools, but a few are ridiculously hard to get in to.

No matter where I end up next year, college is just the next adventure. I can't wait to live on my own and make my own decisions, but I'm in no hurry.