The saying “patience is a virtue” can be applied to many situations in someone’s life.
It is especially applicable to the seniors at FHC as they patiently—or impatiently—wait for their college decisions to be released.
The stress levels differentiate from student to student, but typically, nervous energy buzzes around the school when a big decision is coming up. Senior Jackson Savin was generally calm when it came to waiting.
“I wasn’t super stressed [about decisions] because I felt like in the end, it would work out,” Jackson said. “But, on the day that they came out, I was normally pretty nervous.”
While Jackson was not constantly feeling the stress that surrounded college decisions, senior Josie Crosse was quite the opposite. Her stress levels were so high that she applied to nine schools, three of which she didn’t even really want to go to.
Josie wants to debunk the myth that anything besides waiting is the worst part about applying to college because, for her, everything else was a cakewalk in comparison.
“[Waiting was] horrible,” Josie said. “I had no clue where I was going to get in. When you hear about the college process, you always hear about the application and how it’s so hard to fill out. But the worst part is just sitting and waiting. I was so excited to start planning my life [and] what I want to do. It’s so much fun, and it’s so hard when you’re just waiting.”
The thought process of where to apply is different for each individual. Some choose schools that family members have gone to. Others choose schools based on the reputation of the programs they have to offer. Some simply want to stay close to home, while others want to travel to new places.
For senior Annalise Brinks, the latter is what applies to her the most. More specifically, where there is sun is where Annalise can be found next fall.
“I wanted to go somewhere that was warmer, and [the University of Kentucky] is the closest southern state that I could get to,” Annalise explained. “They also have a really good personal physical therapist program.”
Once the decision is made about school, the treasured relief is short-lived. Before they know it, seniors have to begin thinking about where they want to live and who they are going to live with.
Normally, many students connect with their future peers over social media to hopefully find themselves roommates on their own. Jackson, however, is planning to take an alternate route.
“I think I’m going to go in blind for roommates,” Jackson said. “I think it’s good to go in blind and not with someone you go [to high school] with. But, I’m kind of scared I’ll get someone really weird or someone that wakes up at 5:00 AM every day.”
Much like Jackson, Josie is also excited to meet her new roommate wherever she ends up. She has taken the social media route and has been talking to people online, and she is planning on rooming with someone who lives in a different part of the country than she does.
What does make her a little uneasy is dorm living as a whole and the difference in the social scene at college compared to what it is like in high school.
“I think [the college social scene] will be different,” Josie said, “and the dorms. I’m nervous about living in a dorm and the community bathroom. And, I know at some schools you live like 15 minutes from your classes. And, the idea of busing—I’m really nervous about that.”
While seniors are nearing the end of their process of figuring out what their next chapter will look like, juniors are just beginning to map out their plans.
Annalise applied to six colleges and is almost 100% set on the University of Kentucky. Her process of application is one that worked incredibly well for her, and she hopes that juniors go about it in a similar fashion.
“Just apply to any college that you have any slight interest in,” Annalise said. “That way, when it comes down to the final decision, you really have as much time as you need and the information you need to get into [each school].”
For these three seniors, whether they know where they will end up or not, they are confident that their college experience will be some of the best years of their lives. They are optimistic about their futures and know that in the end, they will end up where they are meant to be.
“I genuinely believe you could be successful anywhere you go,” Josie said. “So, whether that’s a big school, a small school, an in-state school, or an out-of-state school, it doesn’t matter. It’s really about the person you are and what you want to do with your college experience. So, I think that while you can get stressed out, it’s okay.”
