Wow... SENIOR YEAR! It's an awesome one, for sure. You're the kings & queens of the school, you turn 18, you're finishing a 13-year journey through primary school, you're preparing for the freedoms & responsibilities of adulthood... it's GREAT!
Your nervousness is completely rational & normal. You're facing a LOT of changes at one time, and a small level of nervousness is healthy because it means you are taking those changes seriously. This is a good thing! Unfortunately, many high school seniors (and even many college students) look at this time in their life very flippantly -- not taking care to make mature, wise decisions with their newfound freedoms & responsibilities -- and it costs them a lot: time, friends, opportunities, grades, scholarships, etc. ...
On the other hand, when taken with the proper perspective, your senior year can be one of the greatest years of your life! Here are some tidbits of advice to help make your senior year the best it can be:
1. Go ahead and knock out your college applications early, like between Aug-Sept. You don't want that hanging over your head all year -- complete & submit those NOW. Same goes for scholarship applications -- find them, complete & submit them now.
2. If you haven't already taken your SAT, go ahead and register for the VERY next one. Again, anything you can knock out now, do so -- don't wait! Plus if your score isn't as high as you like, by taking it now, you give yourself time to retake the test again later and improve your score.
3. Have FUN! I'm serious! Don't drink alcohol or do drugs, of course, but enjoy yourself! You'll only have one senior year, so make the most of it that you can.
4. Avoid dating if at all possible. Girlfriends & boyfriends tend to drain all the fun out of high school life (sorry! but it's true!). You'll have plenty of time for dating after high school. During high school, though, dating just gives you added stress & heartache, not to mention depleted time & money! The little bit of fun you have by dating in high school is just not worth the host of negatives that come from it. Stay single, and enjoy the carefree mentality that single teenagers enjoy! (Single people in high school also tend to have more friendships, better grades, and higher self-esteem than those in dating relationships. Teens who date often neglect their other friendships, detrimentally isolating themselves from others…)
5. Appreciate your parents. This year can be one of the worst years of stress between you and your parents. You are struggling to become your own person and gain independence from them. Meanwhile, they are facing the stress of “losing their baby” -- it’s a lot for parents to go through! So take it easy on them this year, and show them that you appreciate and love them. You’ll be out of their house in just a matter of months; make these last few months sweet & peaceful & full of happy memories for them and yourself.
6. Do the right thing. Lots of 17- and 18-year-olds just go berserk and lose all control of themselves when faced with the freedoms that come during your senior year of high school and freshman year of college. Keep your head on your shoulders, and don’t be stupid. Have all the fun you can, but be smart. Lots of young adults live with lots of guilt & regret from these transition years of their lives. But you’ll never regret choosing to do the right thing. And you’ll develop a lot of character in the process.
7. Finish strong. It’s so easy to just give up and coast through your senior year -- resist that urge. Maintain your grades, your responsibilities, and your relationships – see them through to the very end of the year.