As the last assignments are handed in and summer break rounds the corner, the end of the academic year can carry many emotions with it for different students. For some, it’s that last sophomore-required class, and for others, it’s their final walk down Windsor’s halls.
Senior students are particularly busy at this time of year with college applications and admissions and finishing up last-minute projects to finally close out their high school career. Some students already have a college chosen and are preparing for the big move, much like Eva Miller (12).
Miller is stepping off to Luther College in Iowa to study communications. “I really enjoy, just, communicating with people and talking, and I also enjoy the other parts of communication which is obviously, like, reading and writing,” Miller said.
Miller herself doesn’t exactly know what she wants to do for a career, she felt that a communications major would be beneficial no matter what path she chose: “I just thought communications is a very broad major, and that I could do a lot in, and I know that it is something that I could excel in.”
While most students are finishing up their last year with two semesters, there are some whose last day was before winter break, as they graduated at semester. However, that doesn’t negatively affect their future plans, especially for Mia Ricci (12) who plans on going to Montana State University.
“MSU offered me a great scholarship because of my academic achievements,” Ricci stated. “The scholarship was a major deciding factor because I don’t want to be in lots of debt.”
Throughout her college career, Ricci will study the field of biochemistry, as she wanted to major in a scientific field. “Without knowing if I wanted to focus more on biology or chemistry, I figured biochemistry would be a perfect thing to try out. It is going to be a difficult major but I think that I will like it!” Ricci said.
Going to college is a major shift in a person’s life and it can be a little nerve racking. But, the students are not alone because the school counselors are here to help.
“As a school counselor, I help students plan for the next steps in their life, whether that’s college or something else,” Peter Marino (staff) said. Marino is one of five counselors that students have access to and he knows a thing or two about college jitters.
“I think most people are nervous. I think that what I hear from students a lot of the time is when they’re planning the process, there’s just a lot of anxiety of ‘I don’t know what to with the rest of my life’ or ‘I don’t know where I want to go’ or all those kinds of things,” Marino stated. “I think, at least in my mind, I feel like there’s a stigma that you have to have your life planned out. And I don’t think that’s true.”
Grades will be finalized, the school doors will close for the year and the senior class will be off on their own, following their chosen paths. While there are nerves, it is important to take it easy and take breaks.
“Just calm down, take a breath. I know the last couple of months in the last semester, especially in senior year, is hard …. It is overwhelming,” Miller said. “There is a lot going on, but you will get through it, you’ll figure out what you’re going to do, you’ll figure out where you wanna go.”
