How to Beat Winter Stress Senior Year of High School

The stretch between January and February can be one of the most stressful parts of the high school academic year. These tips can help you stay sane this winter.

The stretch between January and February can be one of the most stressful parts of high school. It’s the time to fill out the FAFSA and start looking for scholarships, along with the normal workload high school seniors have. The late nights and never-ending scholarship essays can become really burdensome to students who have to figure out how to pay for college while continuing to maintain their GPA. And it doesn’t help that many students are still waiting to see if they will be accepted into their dream school.

While senior year is about half over, high school is coming to a close, and the bright future students have heard so much about is quickly solidifying into an often stressful reality. The amount of work can make it difficult to persevere, but these months are also the time when wonderful things will begin to fall into place and dedication will pay off. Of course, in between, it may take a lot to stay sane…

How to beat college decision stress

Waiting for those (hopefully) fat envelopes to come in is probably one of the most stressful things about your life right now. But even though you’ve heard this before, it’s helpful to remember that you’ve done all the hard work and now it’s time to let things play out how they will play out. No matter what happens, you will have options in the spring, and you’ll figure it out when the time comes. If admission decisions are really weighing on you, you should try to find productive ways to fill the waiting time

Related: 5 Steps to Making Your Final College Decision 

How to beat scholarship stress

With the rising cost of an education and the increasing necessity of one, affording college is often a huge source of stress.  And this unfortunately means there's a lot of competition for just about any scholarship, from the little local ones for a few hundred dollars to ones covering the entire cost of tuition. However, don’t let this turn you into a person that applies for every single scholarship. You need to search for scholarships you can actually win. There are many people at my school who will apply for scholarships they’re not eligible for, like ones intended for specific majors even though they are not going into the field. That’s just a huge waste of time, because they won’t even be considered for the scholarship! Instead, focus on scholarships you are eligible for. And don’t forget about the small ones; there is a lot less competition, and they can make a significant difference, especially towards an in-state public school. It may take some creativity, a little extra work, and maybe a search for a work-study job, but there are ways to afford college, and staying on top of your scholarship search this winter will be extremely helpful.

How to beat senioritis stress

Of course, scholarships shouldn’t be the most important aspect of your life. Colleges can still revoke accepted applicants and cancel large scholarships if there is a major issue with academics or athletics. The infamous “senioritis” can strike just about anyone. Yes, it is good to take a night or two off each week, but when those nights become frequent you’re just setting yourself up for even more stressful nights later on. Instead of going into senioritis vacation mode after submitting your college applications, it’s best to try to keep going on normally, with a little time for “college stuff” (like scholarships) worked into your schedule as needed. Occasionally, there will be times where college again gets all of your focus. The key, of course, is balance. Staying on top of your workload and making the most efficient use of time is the best way to ensure you get everything accomplished with a reasonable amount of sleep. Personally, now that I’m a second-semester senior, I no longer try to get the highest grade possible in every class, though I still aim for a good grade. Letting go a little bit frees up some time, and it really makes no difference in terms of GPA.

Related: Video: 3 Tips to Avoid Senioritis

You’ve been hearing a lot about college from a lot of people for a long time, and it's all coming up very soon. Persevering until you get there is important, and finding the right balance is the best way to keep up with the things that are important now while also working on things that will become important in the coming years. A little bit of time management goes a long way in reducing stress and creating more time to relax and get excited for all the wonderful things to come.

Need more help getting through the rest of senior year? Check out our article Our Best Advice for Senior Year of High School.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Leman Simpson

Hello, everyone. My name is Leman. I'm from a small town in west-central Ohio. Although I'm definitely not sure what I want to do in college, I definitely want to pursue my passion for science! Throughout the year I will be researching, visiting, and applying to small colleges in Ohio and the neighboring states.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress
Rana Slosberg

Rana Slosberg

Slosberg College Solutions LLC

My favorite part of CollegeXpress is the 800+ lists which have all kinds of hard-to-find information. These lists are helpful when I’m creating college lists, and I also use them to give students a feel for a particular college or university.

Joseph Johnsly

Joseph Johnsly

High School Class of 2021

It's an honor for me to be writing to share a little about my experience with CollegeXpress. I've been using CollegeXpress for about a year now, and the reason why I chose it is because it provides astonishing scholarships for every student around the globe. Besides that, this organization dispenses all the information necessary to help students get to college. CollegeXpress has helped me have an easier experience with applying to colleges and choosing the best fit for myself.

Mimi

Mimi

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has provided me with tips that were for college students, but as a high school junior, they were still very useful. Not only that, it also gave me an idea of what to expect when it comes to going to college or already being in college. I want to say thank you to CollegeXpress, and I hope you continue the wonderful tips until I hopefully get into college and throughout my college journey.

Rayan Hamdan

Rayan Hamdan

High School Student

I joined CollegeXpress just a few months ago. I had been struggling with severe anxiety, causing me to not be able to tour schools and make sure a college would be perfect for me. I came across CollegeXpress one day when I was searching for colleges online, and it completely changed the game. I was easily able to choose colleges that would suit me, and I also entered a few giveaways! Thank you so much!

Joycelyn

Joycelyn

High School Class of 2023

I’m currently a college freshman attending Towson University. My major is Information Technology, and I plan to minor in Electronic Media & Film to achieve my goal of becoming a production engineer. Upon graduating high school earlier this year, I was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from CollegeXpress, which greatly assisted in paying my tuition. Truthfully, this financial reward was the difference in affording my room and board and tuition, along with other expenses for school. My family and I haven’t stopped celebrating my award since it was bestowed on me. I will never forget this opportunity for allowing me to get my foot into my university financially.

College Matches
X

Colleges You May Be Interested In

Trinity Christian College

Palos Heights, IL

Thiel College

Greenville, PA

Waynesburg University

Waynesburg, PA