It’s senior year, time to take it easy, right? After a grueling junior year of trying to maintain good grades and obtain high scores on standardized tests, the next year should be a breeze. Besides, isn’t it only the first semester of senior year that counts; senior year can’t be bad if students just have to worry about the first half. With the opportunity to take all-senior classes, school should be a joke.

Unfortunately, this is not the case; senior year has turned out to be the most intense year of high school by far.

True, there is less pressure to do well in school once seniors get into college, but that still means that they have to try just as hard in school until they get that most-anticipated acceptance letter. Unless they are a recruit, they’ll be working diligently at least until the end of first semester because they may have to apply to colleges; regular decision and schools will definitely ask for semester grades. Additionally, if seniors decided to take harder classes this year, then their workload will be impossible. A student could potentially end up with six or more harder classes than the ones taken last year, all of which he’ll want to do well in. Just because colleges only see half of senior year grades (at the most) to make an acceptance decision, doesn’t mean that the first half of senior year will be any easier than previous years.

On top of stressful classes and demanding extra-curricular activities, there is the time-consuming burden of having to complete college applications. The amount and types of questions asked on college apps vary considerably, but may include: What is your most memorable dream? What do you envision yourself doing ten years from now? If you could travel to a specific time period in history where and when would you go and why? Not only are some of the questions ridiculous, but also the space constraints can be just as ridiculous. Your essay must not exceed 962 characters… Please make your essay in between 359 words and 376 words. Depending on the number of schools applied to, college applications can become a major part of senior year.

Despite the intensity of senior year, there are some advantages to getting there. Senior privileges might not seem like such a big deal, but they definitely make a difference. For one thing, no more waiting in line at the student store. Also, if seniors don’t like what there is for lunch on any given day, they can choose to go out for lunch. Moreover, if they have first and ninth periods free then school starts at 9:03 and ends at 2:48. So senior year isn’t too bad, just brace yourself for first semester slaughter.