At the young age of 18, high school students are asked to make a decision that could alter the rest of their lives. From the location of their future employer, their future spouse to even the location that they live, huge decisions are being placed on teenagers who has barely have had the chance to experience the world for themself. Regardless of the age, in recent years it has been a trend to ask students of their plans in any conversation that is had with other adults.
Many times during senior year students are filled with joy as they finally get to spend more time with friends and enjoy the other benefits that come with senior year. However,there is added pressure on students to make sure that they are involved in enough activities and working on everything that could possibly help them in the future.
Senior Lauren Lundie has felt pressure the entire school year from adults around her to make decisions that will have a large impact on her future and her goals and ambitions. “It gets annoying after a while. I wish people knew that most graduates can’t or won’t make a decision until late spring. The regular decision dates for most schools are usually in March”, says Seniors Lauren Lundie.
As students such as Lundie continue to work towards deciding, their is also the other situation for some students. Students are able to create a plan for their future as soon as their junior year ends. It’s now more common for students to prepare college plans as soon as sophomore year.
With students taking important tests such as the PSAT in sophomore year, these tests allows students to qualify for awards that could later one affect the course of their senior year. This means that from the beginning of sophomore year to the end of senior year, students face the pressure of college, potential future plans and all expectations society may put on them.
To senior Katelyn Chen, having to choose a college and the pressure that came with it added more stress into her already busy schedule and life. “At the beginning of the year, it was definitely challenging to have to balance spending time on college applications, taking care of current homework in school, and also maintaining a social life. It’s a very universal experience for seniors to struggle with enjoying the moment, while also planning for their future that most likely doesn’t include a lot of the same people or same things they know now ”, says Senior Chen.
To many the simple question of asking a high school student their plans for the future seems like an easy conversation point and an easy way to get to know a person, but to the person being asked, it can cause a swarm of emotions and additional stress to the student. “I think there has always been a general perception that when you turn 18, you become an adult overnight, when in reality, most 18 year olds are just trying to figure life out. Going to college, or entering the workforce is going to be a big change for everyone and it’s normal for seniors to feel a lot of pressure to make the right choice, or be unsure if what they want”, says Chen.
