I have found that on a day to day basis, I have no idea which path I need to take in order to give myself the awesome future adults keep talking about.One of the more stressful parts of life at the end of high school is determining how we’ll fund the next few years of our life. This is what I have to say to all of you:

Dear fellow seniors,

I know this is hard. I know senioritis set in long ago. I know it is hard to turn off Netflix, spend less time at work,and more time working on scholarships.

Despite how hard it is, we must.

This part of our life is awesome, but if we stop trying now, we will never be able to move on to great things, college or not. We’ve made it almost 18 years, so the next 3 months, no matter how hard, are going to be great. Here are a few things to remember when you’re trying to keep your life great, but productive.

1. Say yes more.
   1. If your friends want to get starbucks before school, stop saying no because you want to sleep in during late start. You won’t get late starts for the rest of your life. Utilize them.
2. Say no, too.
   1. Just because you have the opportunity to do something, doesn’t mean you should. Sometimes you need to stay home and study instead.
3. If you participate in senior skip day, also fill out a scholarship.
   1. I like to tell myself that for every day of school I miss, is another scholarship that I will apply for. It’s a great incentive to go to school, because filling out scholarships is a daunting tasks.
4. Fill out scholarships, even if they’re for $100 or $1,000,000.
   1. If you get 10 small scholarships, it equals to getting a few of the bigger scholarships. Every dollar counts. One small scholarship would cover the cost of a textbook; now a free textbook.
5. Keep a calendar.
   1. When you notice a scholarship application was due yesterday, and you just forgot to turn it in, you will be mad. Trust me. Avoid this by keeping a calendar.
6. If you don’t win something, don’t give up.
   1. Despite how awesome you are, you may not always get the scholarship. Do not let that discourage you! You are qualified and worthy.
7. Enjoy it all.
   1. High school will be over before you know it. If you work hard on scholarships and spend time with your friends and family, you’re bound to have a great final semester.

Sincerely,

An equally stressed, scholarship applying, Netflix loving, senior.