Semester one of my senior year: chaos.

I had a lot of high and low expectations since many of my friends were seniors last year. I saw the ins and outs of what it was like to be “top dog” of the school, but didn’t really understand the full meaning of senior year until I became a senior myself.

I started off senior year with an enthusiastic attitude, ready to take on anything that came my way. That lasted until around Thanksgiving break. I knew senior year was going to be tough, but I didn’t realize how much it would drain me. School is hard as it is, but applying to college adds more stress. Trying to figure out where the best place to spend the next four years of your life is scary, not to mention the emotional rollercoaster that goes along with that.

For me, I was a complete and utter train wreck.  I complained a lot during break because thinking about the number of essays I needed to write for my college applications overwhelmed me to my breaking point. After Thanksgiving break, I came back to school and hit a wall. I felt physically broken because of sleep deprivation, and emotionally broken as well.

A common topic of conversation, especially among friends, is senior sliding. Unfortunately, I became a victim of senior slide, and it did its damage. I came home from Nordic ski practice every night, completely exhausted. I ate dinner, showered and went to bed. I didn’t even think about opening my backpack until I saw it on the floor of my room when I woke up late for school. That embarrassing chain of events lasted for a solid month before my teachers, who cared enough about me, asked if I was OK. I didn’t even realize how much I was slacking and giving off a “not a care in the world” attitude.  

I knew something had to change. I couldn’t leave high school with the reputation of being the girl who tried every single year of high school, and then gave up senior year.

During the dark month of my senior slide and lack of motivation, I would dread going to school to face the kind-hearted teachers who gave time and effort to watch me succeed. I had let them down and I knew I couldn’t do that anymore.

So, I changed. I had to give myself a pep talk every morning until I didn’t need one anymore to get through the day. I did my homework assignments, even if they were just the busywork packets, and talked to my teachers about how I could improve my attitude toward school.

Don’t let the negativity of homework, college deadlines and lack of motivation ruin all of the hard work you’ve put in for the last three years. Maintain those close relationships you’ve made with your teachers and friends and let them help you in times of need. Most importantly, give yourself some self love. High school is hard; everyone goes through it and knows the highs and the lows, so don’t beat yourself up. Instead, congratulate yourself for what you’ve accomplished.