Entry #4 College and such

If someone had told me before I started my own college application process that it would be really fun and I would miss it when it is over I would have thought that they were crazy. Everything that I had ever been told about college applications was that they were the single most stressful thing that a high school senior can experience. Well, maybe not that extreme, but you get the idea. But never was I told about how fun it can be. If you enjoy learning, then the exploration of and applications to your next educational journey can be a blast. I found that researching schools and for me, schools where I can swim and study, was so much fun! I got to virtually tour campus and "walk" the grounds heading to check out the library and the museums or galleries then to the science labs and athletic centers, and it was great! Then I got to write the essays and have fun with prose and creating something uniquely "me" and really think about what makes this school special to me. In fact I found that the essays helped me narrow down which colleges I wanted to go to or even apply to. As for being stressed about it, well, I finished everything before November. I was having simply too much fun to slow down. Now as I sit back and have no more work to do in the college department, I am missing the hunt and the creativity that is included in the application process. Having already turned in my applications I can no longer meddle with my essays or even write new ones and I wish that I was.

I would advise high schoolers to simply have fun with these applications and not to treat it as this stressful blob that looms over your shoulder the whole first semester. Instead treat it as a journey or a treasure hunt and stay on top of your deadlines.

I guess that you could say that I am excited for new experiences and more opportunities to learn about subjects that excite me. I am excited to continue to swim and participate in the sport I love and to explore the campus's resources. I think college will be great.