There comes a time in every student’s life where they have to make the decision of what to do after high school. For seniors, the question hangs over their head and quickly becomes the main focus of the year. College, technical schools, straight to work and skip years dance around in the student’s head. The choice is supposed to determine the direction of one’s life, and some students are still tiptoeing around the idea.

“The school starts pushing us to start thinking about the future,” senior Raeleann Weigel said. “Some people don’t realize that it is coming really fast, and their senior year will be here in a blink of an eye. I understand why they are pushing to know what we want to do, but sometimes it is a little overbearing.”

Senior Gage Phillips also believes the school pushes hard on its students to know what they want to do, saying it starts when they walk in as freshmen.

“It makes me stressed,” Phillips said. “I only have a vague plan. There is a heavy probability I’ll go to Fort Hays and major in Computer Sciences and Informational System Engineering. After that I’ll get my masters somewhere. That’s just how I see it, now. I really don’t know.”

Some seniors have their whole plan laid out, such as senior Trenton Potter. He didn’t feel like the school was pushing him.

“I plan to pursue an out-of-state education and become a professor of math or science,” Potter said. “I’m not worried about the future. I’m prepared to try my best and I know that no matter what, that’s all I can do. I’m most concerned about getting into the colleges I want to get in to.  A lot of people think that it’s a done deal if you make test grades, but it’s a lot more than that.”

College acceptance and test scores are only two examples of stresses in a student’s senior year. Senior Trey Kaiser also worries about these issues, but adds another common anxiety.

“I plan on going to a two-year Bible school to be a pastor,” Kaiser said. “I am most concerned about paying for college. I don’t want to be owing student loans my whole life. Other than that, I feel pretty confident in my future, because I know how hard I work to achieve goals.”

Scholarships and financial aid can be applied for at most colleges to help out with the money problem.

“My dad always has had a saying,” Potter said. “’For every dollar in scholarships you don’t apply for, that’s a dollar you’re volunteering to throw away.’”

Senior Jared Thom doesn’t think it’s worth it to waste time sweating the small stuff.

“Life is always going to be filled with opportunities,” Thom said. “Even if you don’t get exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to the right college, or ACT score, you shouldn’t worry too much. Life is too short to worry about these things when you have your whole life ahead of you.”

17mcrees@usd489.com