"THE BEST FOUR YEARS OF YOUR LIFE"
There are certain months that have a greater meaning than others
because of some special event that happens during the month. December
is treasured because it serves as the home to Christmas, July is
famous for the Fourth of July, and the month of April is heavily
anticipated because of the celebration of Easter. However, in the
minds of most anxious seniors in high school, there are only two
months in the universe that hold any meaning at all: November and
January. These are the months that
the Common
Application, an extremely popular online college application, closes
as thousands of aspiring scholars desperately try to put the finishing
touches on their application. While it may seem like an exaggeration,
the large financial obligations and life-altering potential make the
business of college a monumental staple of our society, and the
college application process truly serves as a gateway to the future
for the applicant.
Take it from someone who has vividly
experienced it firsthand, the process of applying to and accepting a
college can be stressful. The application process, in particular, can
be tedious and downright confusing, and by the time that I had
finished all of my applications I felt that I had discovered useless
personal information that I didn’t even know existed. The essay
prompts are generally vague to the point of obscurity as applicants
nervously try to portray the image of the student that they believe
the university wants to see. Keep in mind that all this preparation is
happening while on a strict deadline that is set in stone like the ten
commandments. Once all the work is finally done and the applications
are submitted (after paying a pricey application fee of course), then
the waiting game begins as the suspense of approval or rejection sets
in. Similar to the feeling of suffocation, the feeling of anxiousness
grows as more time passes and the period for acceptance/rejection
letters grows nearer. The entire process can be exhausting and takes a
young adult on a roller coaster of emotions that can completely shape
the outlook of their life.
However, if the situation is
right and the stars perfectly align, the thrill of college can make
the arduous application process and stress of waiting seem trivial and
worth the wait. For me personally, college has opened so many doors
both socially and academically that I will treasure for the rest of my
life, and the memories I have made here so far are priceless. Above
everything else, whether it be when applying to college or during
move-in day, the most important thing for someone involved in the
college system to remember is to just be yourself. While this may
sound simple and generic, a college essay will sound much more
compelling if it is coming from the emotions of someone who believes
what they are writing, and people naturally gravitate to individuals
who are genuine. College, like anything in life, has the possibility
to be a special four years that can be treasured forever. So to anyone
who is about on a new journey, I would advise you to enjoy the process
and don’t spend these moments being a fake to others and a fake to
yourself.