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Senior year of High School can be so overwhelming. Between experiencing a bunch of things that will never happen again, trying to figure out what you are doing with your life, and trying to spend time with the people you have been with every day of your life who you are about to leave soon, it can be a lot to handle. Take some tips below, it could help make your journey to college better. Although you probably have enough on your plate, here is a tip to remember. Don’t forget to enjoy your time in high school and enjoy all of the “lasts”. You need to be preparing for college and still trying your best, but don't forget to stop and appreciate the people you have gotten to know and the experiences that you have been lucky enough to have. Be appreciative and have a good last year of high school to leave on. College is great and you are about to make so many new friends and great experiences, but it is still important to appreciate where you are right now. High School is something that you will be talking about and carrying with you for the rest of your life. Believe me when I say that life really does start after high school, but it is still so important in making you the person who you are. Follow these tips below to make the most out of your later years in high school. Tip #1: Spend as Much Time with Your Friends as You Can This is the last time in your life that you are going to be together with all of the friends and students that you have been around for the past several years so make sure to take advantage of it. I am sure that you have many people telling you this, but it is true. Don't get too caught up in yourself and all the activities you have to do senior year that you forget about spending time with your friends. More than likely most of you will end up in different places and the only time you will be all together is on select breaks. Take the time to make sure you are soaking up these last moments with your friends, you won’t regret it. Tip #2: Don't Stop Being Involved When it comes to senior year, it is really easy to lose some focus and determination because you know that you are almost done. It is important to realize that you still want to leave on a good note. You made some great connections throughout your life and you don't want to end those on a bad note. You also don't want to end with worse grades than usual because your college can see that. A good tip is: Don't quit any clubs or jobs last minute because it just makes you look bad and makes you lose some great connections that you could have kept for a very long time and used when you came back on breaks and in the summer. I know that it is hard but just try to keep your determination until the end of the school year. You have made it this far you might as well finish proud and strong. Follow these tips to gain an advantage in your college career. Tip #3: Take as Many College Classes as You Can Take advantage and take as many free college classes as you can. It doesn’t matter if you get an A in them because usually it only transfers the credit and not the grade as long as you get the grade needed for your major in that class. Obviously, the grade will, however, reflect on your high school GPA. Once you get into your first year you will realize how nice it is to come in with credits. It can help you, double major, have a minor, or graduate early. It could also help you graduate on time if you end up switching majors in the middle of your time in college. These tips of advice is something that you can do now that will help you tremendously later. #4: Research Colleges and Majors Take the time while in high school to do your research on colleges and majors. Choosing a college is a very big decision so you want to make sure that it is the right one. You want to make sure that it has majors that you can use as backups, that it has clubs you are interested in and that it has the opportunities you are looking for. Also, do some research on the college towns to make sure they have what you want as well. There are so many things that go into choosing a college so make sure you do the research now to find the right one. You have plenty of time to make sure you chose the right major in college but try to at least talk to some people and figure out what you can now because more than likely it will help out in the long run. #5: Visit Several Colleges on Your Radar Visiting colleges really helps when it comes to making a decision. Seeing the actual campus and surrounding city or town can make the biggest difference. Some schools that I thought I would love, I did not actually like as well as I thought after I had visited. Don't be afraid to just start scheduling several visits. You would rather visit too many than not like the one you choose because you didn’t make time to visit it. When you do visit don't be afraid to ask questions and walk around the campus after to look at anything that you didn’t get a chance to before. This is your time to make sure you are making the right decision. You can also take more than one visit to the same place if you still aren’t sure. #6: Get a Job Having at least a small part-time job in your senior year is such a great idea and can make such a big difference. Having a job looks great on an application or resume and it also helps prepare you for time management and actually dealing with the real world. I highly advise looking for a job in your senior year if you don't already have one. Plus this is a great way to start saving up for college because your first year is the most expensive because you have to buy all the technology and room décor. #7: Find a Hobby You want to make sure that you find a good hobby to stick with throughout college. College is very stressful, and you need something to give yourself a break. Whether that is running, working out, playing an instrument or reading. Whatever it is you need to start taking time for yourself so that you stick with that throughout the stressful times through college. This sounds minor but you really do need to have something to keep yourself sane and remind you who you are during college because it is a time where you are still trying to figure out exactly what you are doing and who you are. #8: Spend Time with Family These tips are so important. Take the time to spend with your family while you are still around them every day. Once you go to school, especially depending on how far you are, you may only get to go home a few times a year. It is very difficult to adjust if you're not used to seeing your family often. You want to take this time and use it to your advantage. Go see your grandparents, go it dinner with your mom, take your sister out to eat, etc. Do whatever you can to spend time with the people who have helped you get to this point in your life. They are just as excited as you are for the next chapter in your life, but it is important to thank them for that and spend time with them. #9: Go to the Dances This may not seem important and I am sure you have probably also heard this many times from many different people but go to your high school dances. You only have a few opportunities like this to dress up with your best friends and have a good time. Ask that girl to the dance, buy that expensive prom dress and spend hours getting ready. These are the memories that will last forever and that you will appreciate when you are older. These are the things that you will tell your kids about from high school. Let these tips help you not take memorable opportunities for granted. #10: Fill out Scholarships With so many things and due dates going on, sometimes it is easy to forget to fill out scholarships before they are due. This is one of the most important tips. College still seems a bit away but believe me you want to get as many scholarships as you can so that you can take out the least amount of loans as possible. Make sure to contact your guidance counselor or anyone else who can help make sure you are aware of all the scholarships that you can fill out. Senior year is filled with so many fun things and amazing experiences so make sure to take advantage of all of that while still preparing for the future. If you would like more tips on how to prepare for college: High School Extracurricular Activities Ideas to get into College If you are searching for scholarships that can help pay for your college, we recommend Scholly.

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