Senior Year: What was that?
Jumping into senior year, I was hoping that God would be willing to grant me some fortune. He would increase my luck, my grades would improve, I would be blessed with a truckload of charisma and I would grow an inch. None of this happened and instead, during the middle of the school the year, the Coronavirus struck. Within this period, my mental state worsened, I became more anxious and became overwhelmed with guilt from past mistakes. Being bored and alone truly does a number on your soul and overall wellbeing. To top that off, Collegeboard absolutely destroyed high school students’ sleeping schedules as AP testing started at either 2 or 4am. Furthermore, seniors have additional homework to cram in before the 28th of May hits. It’s hell for us. I cannot stress how much I wanted the pain to end. I wanted my year to end making new memories at prom (last year was an absolute disaster), going out on dates (impossible, but let me dream), spending late nights out eating street food with my friends, and the list will go on. Instead, possibly some of our mental states are ruined, we got executed by the Collegeboard, and our poor souls are stuck in limbo unless we finish our treacherous amount of homework. What the hell is our senior year?
Nonetheless, here is a mountain of advice in the form of quotes from our fellow seniors. Take it with a grain of salt.
“Seminar is great but think twice about your time management skills before taking research. Above all, know which teachers will be teaching your classes. A teacher can make or break a course. Even if you don’t like them, show them respect because we all have something to learn (even if it’s just humility)”
“Teachers don’t care that you have college apps in the first semester so start during the summer.”
“Don’t believe anyone who says that senior year is easier than junior year.”
“Start researching [colleges] right now, start writing drafts in the summer.”
“Try not to give up extracurriculars for senior year. Anything can still be used for apps and personal enrichment of course.”
“Join MUN. Join tedX. Join Computer Club.”
“Buy prep books from Vincent Lin (ET12B).”
“Buy textbooks from Iris Jiang (ET12B).”
“Oh yes, don’t forget about community service hours. Tutor someone if you can.”
“Buy AP Psychology, chem and bio textbooks from Johnathan Kim.”
“Follow me on Instagram @brend.wang.”
“Don’t make your teachers mad, especially those that are writing your rec letters.”
“Don’t expect the teachers who left SMIC to write your rec letter”- it’s true, they take ages to respond if they even respond at all.”
“Don’t take a course just because it has ‘AP’ in its name.”
“Don’t join USAD, you will regret it.”
“Major in something that actually earns money.”
“Get seniors to tutor you subjects, since they know it the best.”
“Terry Kim and Matthew Yang are open for tutoring lessons.”
“Get graduated seniors to review your college app essay with a premium one-on-one payment method.”
“There is no shame in being an undeclared major.”
“Don’t choose a major just because a friend is doing it.”
“Don’t force yourself into something you hate.”
“Apply for STEM if you want to, don’t let salty people stop you.”
“Apply CS but apply safety too.”
“Apply for UK unis, they are far easier to get into.”
“Buy a Nintendo Switch.”
“Don’t believe when they say GPA isn’t that important.”
“Numbers are still important regardless of the coping arguments out there.”
“Standardized testing is not as important as GPA.”
“Don’t get depression from college apps.”
“Don’t skip winter formal if your argument is ‘well there’s prom though’, because look at this year.”
“No just don’t go to either, they’re both overrated.”
“Be aware that 150+ people come to winter formal.”
“Find what you want to do ASAP so that you won’t waste your time learning some weird stuff.”
“Yeah, and if it happens to be computer science or business, don’t be discouraged just because they’re the most common ones.”
“In this day and age people always say passion and follow what you love, which is true, but often times they overlook the fact that CS and business can also be an interest.”
“Don’t feel bad if your degree is something rare either. Be confident in whatever you decide to choose.”
“Don’t mess up your sleep schedule playing CSGO with Sam”- Sam is a precious student who left our school in 2018. We miss you buddy.
“Sue Collegeboard for the win.”
“If you get a 3, it’s ok you can always get another 3.”
“Leave room for Jesus.”
“Don’t be scared of being called pretentious when you’re choosing what you want to learn.”
“If you’re asking someone else for help and they tell you to ask them specific questions, but you don’t know how, there’s probably no point in asking anymore. Remember that people don’t have the obligation to help you whenever wherever.”
“You really only need 10-15 schools on the list (for USA applications).”
“Don’t give into peer pressure in general, unless it’s to study.”
“Don’t discredit constructive life habits as boomer talk just because you want to do whatever or get someone else to do whatever.”
“Apply for financial aid if you’re poor.”
“Remember that a lot of USA schools have a quota for how many people they need to accept from their own state, so the relevant acceptance rate is often lower than what you see (only for state schools, not private schools).”
“Don’t choose schools just for their name.”
“In that vein, just because schools like UIUC have a 60% acceptance rate does not mean you get in for CS or engineering.”
“Certain combinations of schools and major can be much more competitive.”
“Keep in mind how selective the program is, not just the school in general.”
“You can research about the school’s transfer policies and see if you can sneak in with anthropology.”
“Avoid starting a new game until a long break or after exams, unless you have good self-discipline.”
“Don’t start a game during college app season.”
“Don’t worry about forcing the high school experience. If you have fun, you’ll naturally create memories. Don’t let salty people stop you.”
“If you feel sad and dejected, don’t worry, you have your whole life ahead to find therapy.”
“You don’t need a girlfriend or boyfriend.”
“Girls are overrated.”
“Boys are also overrated.”
“3D is temporary, but 2D is forever.”
“When you die, your 2D girl will join you in heaven. She transcends your screen and will meet you in the afterlife.”
“Remember to exercise or you’ll fail to develop habits that’ll be invaluable in your 30s when your metabolism slows down and you hate yourself in your 30s.”
“I already hate myself.”
“You’ll never outrun depression, but you sure as hell can try.”
“Have a good sleep schedule when you can, in case something like AP Corona exams or a big paper strike.”
“Remind yourself that ‘the good old days’ were terrible, so you don’t grow to be a bitter boomer.”
“Remember that being negative and being real/facing reality aren’t always the same. Don’t let salty people stop you.”
“Turn in art homework to not have an F and graduate.”
“Get dental care before you leave your parents or else, you’ll have to pay out of your own pocket in the future.”
“Properly use ‘I get it’, if at all.”
“Find at least one mutually willing person to be your close friend or you’ll be miserable in senior year.”
“Surround yourself with good people.”
“Few close friends > many friends.”
“No friends < many friends.”
“Be kind to your parents, because you never know if they will come back from work the next day. If your parents aren’t kind to you, remember that.”
“Have at least one person to work with on group projects for each class, if group projects are a thing.”
“Learn how to say no. Guard your emotions, stand up for yourself.”
“Always analyze the stakes.”
“Don’t procrastinate.”
“Don’t feel obligated to feel happy. Positive psychology is useful and all, but if life’s kicked you in the groin repeatedly, you’re entitled to scream a bit.”
“Don’t shove everything down and never say anything.”
“Scream to a person who genuinely cares about you, but try to alternate between people to not be (and feel like) a burden.”
“Remember that no one has the obligation to accommodate you.”
“Remember that no matter how hard you try, your impact on how the school is run will be minimal unless you can manufacture a crisis and have rich lawyers.”
“If you regularly attend and run for things no one wants, you too can rise to club leadership despite a lack of competence or qualifications.”
“Make sure your personality doesn’t revolve around a single thing. That makes you boring.”
“When people say that everything’s about to change, it never really does. Freshman was the same as sophomore, which was the same as junior year, which was the same as senior year.”
Have fun next year juniors! To those who are just beginning or are in the midst of their high school year, I hope your last year will be more fortunate than ours.
Featured Image– I bid this school year adieu Courtesy of Wesly Wong
By Wesly Wong