December 1st 2016, exactly a year ago today I submitted my polished Common App to my top choice college. From the minute I hit submit, to the heartbreaking decision April 2nd, I clicked “Refresh” on the application progress tab at least 100,000 times. Heartbreaking is an understatement for how I felt when I didn’t get in, but it’s December 1st 2016, 7 months later and I’m still here!
Applying to colleges is definitely ranked pretty high on my “list” of worst things about high school, but the time between applying and hearing back just barely takes the prize for the absolute worst. Did you spend enough hours on extracurriculars? Should you have spent more time prepping SAT’s? Should you have worked that extra job? Did you answer the essay question right? There’s hundreds of questions gnawing at the part of your brain that just wants to relax but all you can really do is, RELAX.
Ok maybe “relax” is a bit unrealistic, ‘tis the season for finals, projects and dare I mention, group projects?? I’ll be honest, it sucks … all of it. But just like everything else that sucks, it’s temporary. That paper you can’t even wrap your head around, it’ll get done. That group member that won’t do anything? Their loss. The oral presentation? To be honest, most people in the class aren’t paying attention, and they most definitely will not notice if you stumble over a word or two, they’re just as nervous as you are!
Amongst all the stress and anxieties do not, I repeat, DO NOT forget to embrace the “now”. I know it sounds like a cliche motivational quote someone would share on Facebook but it is so important. You’ll never be in the same place, five days a week, six and a half hours a day with the friends you’ve had since elementary school or be able to call your mom to drop off Advil once the coffee from the local coffee shop wears off and the headache sets in. Not that i’d ever encourage rebellious behavior but hey a year from now, you probably won’t regret sneaking out the back gym doors with your friends when the hall monitors aren’t watching to grab a real lunch from Whole Foods!
Before you know it, spring will have sprung, your Facebook status will have “Class of 2021!” in it and you’ll be on top of the world. Prom, Banquets, Graduation it’s all going to happen SO fast. Before you know it you’ll be sitting in the library of the college you were meant to end up at writing an article for a club you never even considered joining! Because everything works out and it all happens for the right reasons, hang in there till then!