For a typical UF student, last week was just another ordinary week of the school year — but for aspiring Gators, the week of February 8 was one of the most daunting weeks of their lives. Last Friday, high school seniors and incoming students around the nation (and world) heard back from the University of Florida, and the UF class of 2023 is formed.
Getting accepted to your top choice, or your “dream school,” is a momentous achievement. However, in today’s society, expectations and stress are only heightened. Social media suddenly plays a role in the college decision process, and everyone’s eyes are on high school seniors as they post about which college they have chosen to attend. Younger high school students are often hearing about colleges from the first time from older students’ posts and making judgments off of Instagram and Facebook posts rather than learning informatively about these universities.
Just like any other aspect in life, high school seniors look to perfect their college decision experience on social media, when in reality, it is a time filled with stress and anxiety. Even when a high school senior gets into their top choice, the process of applying and waiting is extremely nerve-racking. According to The Atlantic, the college admissions process has only become more strenuous and complex over time that has to be thought about years in advance, whereas getting accepted to a fitting university in the past was much more feasible. The college acceptance process has become increasingly competitive and the pool for competition keeps growing, meaning students are now more likely to hire college advisors, use SAT and ACT tutors, and do whatever it takes to stand out amongst their competition.
It’s no secret the pressure is high and the desire for acceptance to a prestigious university consumes most high school seniors. However, high school seniors mask any negative thoughts on social media, and only present what they want their friends, or followers, to see. When you think about it, it’s not everyday people hear of a college deferral or rejection through social media, yet every acceptance tends to be publicized. It’s almost as if people these days uphold two personas: the version presented on social media, or the version people want others to believe that they are, and the real version.
Years ago, decision letters came in the mail, and people told their friends and classmates about their acceptances in person or on the phone over time. Now, when it comes to college acceptances, people immediately document any success on their Facebook wall Instagram feed or Snapchat story, and within seconds, hundreds or thousands of followers know about their friends’ successes. In this digital era where technological devices rule our world, people consider sharing exciting achievements on social media as a form of celebration. The sharing of college acceptances on social media has become a craze, and sharing this milestone with your entire feed has only increased the stress of getting accepted into a school worth sharing about.
One of the trends associated with social media and the college admissions process is college acceptance videos. Over the past few years, it has become increasingly popular for high school seniors to record themselves opening a decision letter. People provide a visual representation of hearing back from their top choices in video form in order to show their followers their reactions. This new trend adds pressure for high school seniors to feel that they are ecstatic over attending college since that’s how it appears for the average student their age on social media. While it may appear that every student is excited for college, it is not often publicized that, in actuality, many students fear the idea of leaving home for the first time and moving away for four years.
All students see on social media are positive thoughts, while any doubts and concerns are masked away. However, since high school seniors only see one side of the college decisions process on social media, they are often convinced that they have to feel the way most kids their age seem to feel. This pressure makes kids feel as if they are alone in the feeling that they might not be happy to be attending college in less than a year, when behind the scenes many kids feel the exact same way.
To any current high school seniors, know that you are not alone and that not everyone’s college decision experience is as picture-perfect as it seems on Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. While it may seem that a student on Instagram is excited to be attending a certain university, they may have been rejected from their top choice and are trying to prove to their followers that they are still happy with their decision.
While it is encouraged in today’s society to celebrate your achievements through social media, know that behind the excitement, it is completely normal to feel stressed and doubtful. Don’t feel pressure to decide on a school solely because it seems popular on social media. And to any incoming Gators, whether UF was your dream school or the place you thought you would never end up, enjoy your last semester as a senior and don’t let any anxious thoughts about the next four years overpower what is supposed to be one of the most cherished times of your lives.
Before you can even stop to take a breath, your years as a high school student will be over, and every stressful thought and tear that you had will be worth it once you begin your college experience.
This article is part of a series welcoming incoming students to UF. Have a question you want us to answer or explore? Email us at ufl@hercampus.com, and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for even more incoming student advice!