A student sitting at your desk at home staring at a blank computer screen pondering everything they need to do tomorrow, and that is not even counting college applications and essays, and maybe even auditions. With no way out of it they try to chunk it into days, but it feels impossible. It is a sea of never ending papers and assignments. They finish one essay, and the seven others they still need to do sit there intimidatingly.

With endless papers for both college and high school, seniors often feel overwhelmed with both their futures and current high school career with things like sports and grades.

“I would say sports like volleyball and also just after school activities in general really gets in the way of being able to do college stuff, but I try to make it work.”

Senior Kevin Liu continues on this sentiment of balancing school and other activities.

“Senior year is about balance,” said Liu. “Between jobs, activities and academics as well. Trying to maintain relationships and all that whilst you know, working and trying to strive [for a successful future].”

Liu explains how it depends on which classes you are in if the workload between high school and college is easier to manage or not.

“I feel like it’d be different depending on the student. I’m in a lot of APs and honors classes, so it’s just natural that a lot of work comes with those classes,” said Liu. “Just generally speaking, AP and honors classes are definitely more difficult than regular classes, but I feel like some regular classes can be more difficult than honors. Depends on a teacher I guess you could say.”

Senior year is a stressful time for everyone, and can feel like there is no end to the work needed for your next step. Senior Maxwell Newton explains his stress about planning out his future.

“You pretty much have to plan your whole life ahead,” said Newton. “There’s a lot of options out there and there’s no guarantee that you’re even going to be accepted. And that’s where you’re going to be spending the next four years of your life.”

Seniors at MCHS generally believe that senior year is stressful, but a successful future will be worth the temporary stress.