As a senior who feels like she’s drowning in personal statements and “Why [university name]?” essays, it’s hard not to fantasize about the coveted second semester — a time when the sun comes out, applications have been sent and college decisions are made.
But with essentially an entire semester to wait out until graduation, second semester seniors have lots of time on their hands. Though it may be distracting and difficult to think about now, seniors should plan to use their time wisely, both academically and extracurricularly.
Right off the bat, seniors should know that their schoolwork during second semester does still matter. Colleges have the right to rescind students, which allows colleges to take back their acceptance offers to students. While it may be OK to lighten up on a homework or participation grade, seniors should not let their overall grades slip.
Students are typically rescinded for not submitting official transcripts on time or for not passing classes second semester, but the case varies for each college. According to guidance counselor Monique Young, roughly a handful of SHS seniors are rescinded each year.
Besides avoiding any reason to be rescinded, seniors should make taking AP classes worth it and continue focusing throughout second semester. While not all AP courses require students to take the AP exam in the spring, many colleges accept AP credit for classes. Why pass up an chance to pass out of courses in the future?
As tempting as it would be to request that teachers accommodate for second-semester seniors and their tendencies to slack off, it would be unreasonable to ask a teacher to excuse the seniors from the class activities solely because he or she is a senior. Seniors should still be responsible for completing the work of a class they signed up for, especially if there are non-seniors in the class.
Schoolwork aside, the second semester also provides seniors the chance to prepare themselves better for college. Seniors should learn how to do laundry if they haven’t already, or learn to cook some simple, go-to meals. Lounging in bed watching Netflix to relax after getting through the more difficult portions of high school is definitely an option when there is spare time, though be careful not to set any bad habits before leaving for college.
Most importantly, seniors should savor the time they have with their friends and family. Plan trips with friends, and embrace the company of your family. When the new school year rolls around, your friends may be all over the country, and you may be far from your family.
Don’t let the second semester of your senior year slip by in a blur of ditched classes; make classes count, learn something new and enjoy the company of the ones you love.
