At the end of a tumultuous year, a senior shares her thoughts.
By Claire Ferris ’21
For the class of 2021, it’s December of our senior year, and one word hums about the air: college.
I have tried fervently to claw my way away from the perils of college applications. Procrastination quickly went from a distant acquaintance to my best friend, and it seemed like supplemental essays were appearing quicker and in greater numbers than CA students on chicken tender day.
The process thus far has been stressful, exciting, strange – but it’s finally seeming like the bulk of the work is almost over. And in celebration of both the end of essay-writing season and 2020 as a whole, I’ve included a few of my thoughts on the college process below:
1. Colleges are very cool! But seriously, I’ve fallen victim to a fancy website one too many times, leading me down research spirals that ended in closing well over 20 tabs. There’s a lot to be excited about, which can seem overwhelming at first, but it will all became much more manageable once you pare down your college list.
2. Everyone’s journey looks different. Though it’s difficult to come to terms with this statement, it’s really liberating once you do. Some will apply Early Decision, some will apply to four schools and others to nine, with the locations, sizes, and programs offered all looking a bit different. I loved every school I applied to, and it was so encouraging to see my friends get just as excited about completely different schools.
3. CA students are the kindest. How much you decide to share about your college journey is a personal decision. I initially took the most aloof route, opting to share virtually nothing. And I think it was the best decision for me, especially when my friends and peers respected my choice not to reveal anything. But even when I did talk about college with some of my friends, they were as supportive as could be.
4. Introspection is hard. I’ll echo Cate Pitterle (’20) on this one, since she described my thoughts so effectively. It’s incredibly difficult to write one 650-word essay (even more difficult if you scrutinize and revise almost every word of the essay) that somehow encapsulates the first 17 years of your life, let alone pull together numerous other supplemental essays that reveal something different and interesting about you.
5. College is not the finish line. I think it’s especially important to revel in that fact this year – when we’ve had so many different challenges thrown at us, and when more seniors are considering taking gap years full of experiences just as fascinating as those we’ll encounter in college. And while our minds may be exclusively focused on college right now, let’s try and remember that our last few months of high school are on the horizon, so that we can enjoy them wholeheartedly – and most importantly, together.
