High school seniors experience unexpected levels of stress due to the demanding nature of senior year. Photo Credit: Jamey Fah

For most students, senior year signifies the end of the long journey through high school and all the years before. While senior year is typically portrayed as a fun, easy year, many high school seniors disagree.

Many seniors would argue that senior year is not exactly what they were marketed coming in. While a majority of high school seniors would claim they thought senior year would be the easiest, the strenuous nature of twelfth grade can come as a shock, leaving seniors overwhelmed and burnt out. “There are so many extra things you have to do during senior year that add to the stress. When I am out of school I have homework to do and have to write essays to get into colleges,” senior Hailey Asselin said.

Many people tend to claim junior year is the most academically rigorous year of one’s high school career. But due to an increase in graduation credit and college admissions requirements, compounded with PV’s six class requirement, this no longer holds true for a majority of PV seniors. “I feel like I’ve always been told to look forward to senior year because it means I’m almost done and that all my classes should be easy, but my classes this year are all extremely challenging and probably the hardest of my high school career,” senior Brynn Kanwischer said. 

On top of the heavy and rigorous course load, college applications can be a large source of stress. From filling out applications to writing essays to asking for letters of recommendation, applications can be a mountain of their own. The expectation of being able to complete all the needed application materials on top of excelling in current classes does not equate to the belief that senior year should be a breeze. 

The social aspect of senior year can create pressure as well. Senior year is frequently highlighted with attending sporting events, hanging out with friends, taking senior photos and much more. For most students, senior year is the last time they will be together with their high school friends, which makes spending time together and savoring every moment even more important. 

Unfortunately, due to the volume of tasks seniors have, lots of seniors feel their time with friends is impeded. “As a freshman I thought I had so much time until becoming a senior, but now I am a senior and I wish I would have cherished my time more because I’m so stressed out all the time I don’t feel like I can enjoy my free time,” Asselin said. 

While adults and peers tend to promote senior year as a fun-filled, chill time with friends, the responsibility of senior year can be a burden for students and create a stressful, challenging and draining experience. The glamourization of senior year might not be what it is all cut out to be.