It's crunch time for seniors

It's crunch time for the class of 2012.

The month of November tends to be a stressful month for senior students. It's a month when many college applications are due, which therefore causes stress. Lots of stress.

But it's not just November; for most seniors, the majority of their senior year is stressful. Every day is consumed by "I have to finish those two essays for my college application!" and "Are my test scores good enough?" and "Have my transcripts been sent in?"

One worries about finishing financial aid documents, residency forms, choosing a major — even choosing a college. On top of that, many students have to juggle after-school sports and jobs while still keeping up with homework and studying.

In the midst of such chaos, it is incredibly easy to forget one major fact: We are still kids, and this is our last year of high school. In other words, we forget to have fun.

Senior year is a year that flies by. Before we know it, it's going to be over. We will graduate and go our separate ways. Many will go away to college, while some stay nearby. Either way, it is often the end of relationships, some that we've had for four years or more.

It is the end of life as we've known it. Consequently, senior year is a time to concentrate on making memories and friendships that will last a lifetime.

Don't get me wrong — college and jobs and school are all important. But I believe it is equally important to remember to have fun. To spend some time hanging out with friends, rather than stressing constantly.

Faith Christian High School senior Laura Dunham said, "We're all going to be working for the rest of our lives. Why not enjoy our last year as a kid?"

Not all students have this problem, but most do stress over these issues. It's all too easy to become focused on worrying about the future, rather than slowing down and remembering to enjoy the simpler moments.

As Courtney Taylor, a senior and our high school president, said, "As seniors, stressing about college and your next step in life is inevitable. But it's important to step back, look at the positive people surrounding you and take time to join in the fun. Senior year may be the year for growing up, but it's definitely not without excitement."

Senior year is a year that is both exhilarating and terrifying. Exhilarating because it is the final year of high school and the beginning of our adult lives. Terrifying because we are being catapulted from childhood, from all that is familiar and comfortable, into a world that is utterly alien to us.

It's a time to both focus on the future, but also, to enjoy the little time we have left with our friends and classmates. For the most part, after graduation, we will all go our separate ways, and life will never be the same.

So, seniors, let's focus on the future while embracing the time we have left with the people around us.

Elizabeth Andrus is a senior at Faith Christian High School. Her column appears every six weeks in Education.