Summer is the best time of year for most people, especially for students. The sun is out, the weather is warm, and, of course, there is no school. These are the two and a half months out of the year in which students are not stressed out with tests and assignments. Many students use this time to spend time with friends and family, go on vacation, and just relax from the demanding school year. However, for high school students, particularly for rising seniors, summer is not the relaxing break that most would expect.

The transfer from being a junior to a senior can be quite daunting: college is looming and there are many things that students must prepare for. Throughout the summer between junior and senior year, students should be focused on preparing for standardized tests such as the SATs and ACTs, job shadowing professionals in order to see what type of careers fit best, researching suitable universities, and, of course, filling out college applications.

Fitting all of this into two and a half months, while also trying to relax and spend time with friends and family, is not easy and is something that not every rising senior expects. Some students only realize the amount of work that lies ahead of them at the beginning of the school year, leaving their first semester extremely stressful. In order to avoid this stress, it is very important for students to complete some of this work before the added rigor of school begins.

I know what the summer break is like between junior and senior year from first-hand experience. As a senior, this past summer I studied for the SAT exam, I contacted professionals in my field of interest to see what their careers are like, I did numerous college tours, and I began my college applications. Not to mention, completing the summer work that I, like most students, was assigned to the past year. Completing all of this, as well as trying to relax and participate in extra-curricular activities, was not the summer that I was accustomed to. Most of my days were filled with events; however, the best way for me to avoid stress was by being aware of the work that I needed to do and not procrastinating.

If you are a senior, it is important to not contract the ever dreadful senioritis, especially during this first semester because this is the time in which most college applications are due. If you manage your time and complete your college applications, then you won’t have to do them last minute and won’t be as stressed.

Don’t get me wrong, you should also enjoy your final year of high school by doing all the things you will not be able to do upon graduation, such as attending football games in the student section, homecoming, prom, and other school events. However, keeping your studies at top priority will make not only your current life but also your entire future, much brighter.

To all students: good luck this school year!