The autumn leaves have started to drift to the ground, the temperature has started to drop, the smell of apple cinnamon wafts through the air, the sound of aggravated seniors as they try to figure out their plans after high school arises from hundreds of local homes. College deadlines will soon be quickly approaching — where do you stand?

As a senior myself, the idea of college seems quite frightening. Most people are moving out of their hometown. We are all leaving behind the classmates we grew up with. We are all about to experience the sudden change and independence as we live on our own without our parents. Think of it this way, college is a time for experience. You are about to embark on a brand new time of your life, and that is exciting. So many people find their best friends, some find their future spouse, others find the clear path to what they wish to do when they get out of college. There is so much ahead of us in the next year, and if we just try to forget the fact that college is coming up soon, perhaps the idea of having new, fun experiences slowly decreases. Experience college to the fullest.

So, seniors, where do you stand? Have you started your essays and have you made sure the school you are applying to does not have a separate essay that you totally forgot to check for? Have you checked out CommonApp? Have you had the opportunity to talk to your counselor about what is coming up? If your answer was no to one or more of these questions, there is still quite a bit to continue on your path of applications for college. If you are now worried about all these main checkpoints that you may not have done yet, just remember that most of the entire senior class understands what you are going through — we are all in the same situation.

If there is one thing that I wish you take away from this is the fact that you should take your senior year at a precaution. Do not fill all of your time with college preparation, school work, and work itself. Make sure you have the time to spend your last year with some of your best friends. Make your senior year epic.