Hannah More 09-29-11 Journalism

A New Beginning: Seniors Prepare Themselves for the Future

! The start of a new school year is full of surprises and trials for everyone. But what is on the mind of seniors as we approach the end of our high-school career? Is it all work and stress, or will it be smooth ride into graduation? ! At the end of the 2011-2012 school year, 100 of us will soon begin a new chapter of our lives. Some of the seniors will continue onto similar paths, and some will proceed in completely different directions. With this transition awaiting us in the near future, the important thing to focus on is the present. What are seniors really thinking about the many tasks presented to us? Balancing the stress of work with socializing is the key to happiness as we charge forward into the school year. ! ! There are many assumptions about what senior year is really like at Proctor. A mixture of excitement and nerves of completing high-school is the general feeling around campus this fall. When asked about how he feels about entering senior year, Trip Jagolta, a four year senior replied “I'm excited but anxious. Being a senior is still a little bit surreal.” I remember myself imagining being an upperclassman, but now that I am one, I cannot believe how my time here at Proctor has flown by. I agree with Trip, and at times I forget that I am a senior this year. It has taken awhile to really sink in. My goal this year is to finish strong with good grades and enjoy the time I have left to the fullest with friends.

Seniors in AP Biology.

Taylor and Peter are ready.

! More freedom is a big part of senior year. With no study hall on Fridays in the fall and winter, and no

Free time!

study hall at all in the spring, seniors are given more responsibility to manage their time well. “I’m really excited to have more freedom and less study hall to be able to spend time with friends,” says Michaela Trefethen, a four year senior, “but I try to keep a balance. I'm stressed out because I have college applications to fill out, take the SATs and ACTs, do my homework and on top of all that, I want to have time with my friends.”

But there is always work to be done...

! Fun times are surely to come with this new freedom, but seniors are far from being stress free. Ali Lynch recollects, “When I was a freshman, I expected senior year to be less complex. I expected the college applications and essays and the stress that came with them, but now that I’m actually living it, it is kind of overwhelming.” ! Charlotte Tweedley shares her worry about college, “The college process makes me nervous and adds a lot of stress to the fun of senior fall.” For me, one of the difficulties is working on both college stuff along with all my homework. I try to look on the bright side of it and stay motivated as best I can.

We are in this together.

! As I realize that this is my last year here at Proctor, it feels bittersweet. I am no doubt excited to start a new phase in my life, but I will miss the Proctor atmosphere and the people in it. The community of Proctor has always been there for me when I was struggling, but has also allowed me to grow and take care of myself. Peter Durkin comments, “I’m sad to be leaving Proctor because it’s like my home, but I’m ready to move on after four years of high-school.” Whether we are ecstatic or nervous for what awaits us in the future, our senior year at Proctor is quickly coming to an end. For the senior class of 2012, we have only just begun.