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This is one of the most stressful parts of the year for seniors at Berkeley High School. This is the time where first semester grades really count, this is the time where the idea of college hits you. This is the time where everything you do will make a difference for the next four years of your life. 

Probably one of the most annoying questions that high school seniors can get is, “So where do you think you are going to college?” Many of us get really annoyed because not only do we have to worry about going off to college, we also have to talk to everyone about how indecisive we are.  

Well, even though we do get really stressed out about college, we have some great resources at our school. A wide variety of resources exist at the College Career Center. There is a box with information about various scholarships in the center. Essay workshops are held there in the morning. Also, there are many essay readers available. We have two full-time college counselors, Ms. Abrams and Ms. Price, who work in the center. Altogether, they meet with each and every senior at our school for a half-hour. They also do drop-in appointments during lunch and after school. In addition, since the beginning of the school year, our counselors have coordinated college visits to our school (two to three different colleges every day). The counselors have been coming into English classrooms with handouts about the college application process.  

We all ask ourselves a lot of questions during this time. Did we take our senior portraits? Are all our absences cleared? Did I ask two teachers to write recommendations? What’s the CommonApp? How much does college cost? Can I afford it? Do I want to go to school in California? New York? Wisconsin? Germany? What am I going to do after college? When is my essay due? But don’t I have three tests today in AP Gov, AP French, and AP English? And I also have a student government meeting after school? How should I divide up my school work and college work? Where do my parents want me to go? Where do I want to go? Do I want to play sports in college? How many extra-curriculars should I do? Should I get a job? Can’t I just relax? Do I even need to go to college? And this is only a partial list.  

For many, this is one of the most hectic times that they will face. So, parents, try to give your kids a break. They have worked really hard in school for the last 12 years. Let them know that they’re doing well and maybe reward them.