5 Ways to Make Senior Year Easier

This day will come faster than you think!

Ah, senior year. I remember it like it was yesterday. You feel like you're on top of the world, you rule the school, and like you're invincible....at least until it's the month before school starts and you realize you haven't gotten your senior pictures done yet or even had a thought about college. Or maybe you are "on top of it", like I was at the beginning of my senior year, but still feel like everything is starting to pile up. Whichever kind of senior you are, there will be times in your last year of high school where you feel like you're losing control.


Senior year is all about having fun and enjoying your last year of high school, but, real talk: the only way you're going to be able to enjoy this year is if you devote time to getting the important stuff out of the way. And since there is such a big list of to-do's, it can feel pretty daunting.

Enter me: freshly graduated, living-in-NYC college girl. During my senior year, I felt like I was never going to make it to this point - there was just too much to get done! But, alas, if I can do it, you can too.  All it takes is a little elbow grease, some patience, and a lot of stationary supplies.

1. Take senior pictures early

Considering it's September and school starts really soon, this should already be done. If you haven't yet, do this ASAP!

Getting senior pictures taken can be really expensive, and let's face it: not everyone can afford to or wants to spend that much money on pictures. There are plenty of opportunities to going around this. Students aspiring to be professional photographers are always a great choice, and finding them is as easy as going on Twitter! Lots of students have Twitter accounts to showcase their photos, and most likely will charge less than a professional, especially if you give them credit on social media to increase their following.

Bargaining is also an option. For example, I was able to not pay part of my senior pictures fee in exchange for a pair of tickets to a Seahawks game that we had - ending in two happy ends of a deal! Just make sure that your request is reasonable and that you do not push too hard for a cheap deal. This could make the person less willing to help you.

2. Sign up for the SAT's, stat

Just get it out of the way! Signing up to take your SAT as early as you can gets it done and gives you time to retake it if you aren't happy with your score.

Getting ready for it is a good idea as well. Take advantage of study groups, online tests, or whatever you can find! This may be just a test, but it is still an important part of the college application process and colleges will be looking at it. Make sure you are pleased with your score and think it shows the kind of student you are well.

3. Make a "College Book"

If you are anything like I was, I wanted to assure that I made it in to college and had a hard time paring down my list of potential schools. I thought, "why not apply to as many as I can?" 

While this may be a good idea for you, it's better not to go into it blind. Buy an inexpensive small notebook from the store, and use it as your "College Book". This will be where you keep any and all information about college organized so it feels less overwhelming and to make sure you stay on top of your deadlines. 

You can set this up any way you want to. If you need some guidance, start by skipping the first page to leave as a table of contents. Then, give each college you're thinking of applying to a page or two and space it out (I used labeled sticky notes to section them off). From there, you can write down everything you need to know about that college: application deadlines, whether or not that school accepts the Common App, their general tuition, pros and cons of the school, etc. Try to keep the layout the same on every page so it's easy to find the information you're looking for later, when it's 12:15 am and you forgot whether you sent your Common App to the right school. 

4. Break your work in to chunks

A.K.A., don't wait until the last second to start writing that essay. 

Look, I totally get it. Applying for college is a ton of work. But that doesn't mean that you have to not live a life while you're filling them out. On the other side of that, don't wait until the last second to start filling out scholarships and apps. Instead, take a look at all of the work you have to do, and break it into small, more manageable chunks that you can do every night for, say, 45 minutes. That way you can still participate in senior year activities and not feel like you're drowning in a sea of paper. 

5. Make a calendar

And color code it, too. If a list-style calendar works well for you, then write it all out. For me, however, it's easier to see how much time you have to get something done on the traditional grid-style calendar. You can draw one out yourself or print a free one from the internet. Write out deadlines and make sure to use highlighters or pens to color code (it sounds extra, but it will be easier for your mind to register). Hang it on your door, above your desk, on your bathroom mirror - anywhere where you will see it often!

Senior year can be really difficult, but it doesn't have to be. If you make sure you're on top of what you need to do, your senior year will be lots of fun. Is there anything I didn't touch here that you need help with? Feel free to leave a comment for advice for me and I will answer you to the best of my ability.

Go out there, chase those dreams, and have the best senior year ever! 

Lots of love,