A New Year, A New Perspective: What Senior Year Is Really Like

When I first began thinking about my senior year of high school, I imagined all things alluring: finally being at the top of the food chain, homecoming court nominations, a beautiful prom dress, the ever-excusable "senioritis," and a crisp diploma in my hand the night of commencement.

However, I was rudely awakened. Senior year has already proven the busiest, most difficult of all my years at Parkland. The rush to complete college applications, the constant studying needed to just get by in my AP courses – I hadn't expected any of this as the year approached. The sleep I (and all other teenagers) am so fond of is becoming more and more distant, and in its place an infinite amount of work continues to grow. 

Maybe, as the year progresses, this will all get easier. But something tells me it won't. Senior year, I'm realizing, is a time for transitioning. Senior year is the last chance I have to prepare for my future. Simply put, senior year is the year I need to grind for greatness, to put in every last bit of effort I have, and expect the best.

I suppose I've been living in a fantasy. Senior year is undoubtedly the most glorious year of high school. I just have to look beyond the work and into the reward, and cherish a job well done as much as a Friday night football game.