As the second semester of the senior year approaches, the stress of college applications, scholarships, and the burden of balancing a personal and home life often leaves students experiencing an overwhelming amount of stress. Around this time of year, the classic term “senioritis” settles in, and the weight of these responsibilities becomes a catalyst for the decline in many seniors’ mental health.
The challenges of applying to colleges become more apparent in a smaller school setting, where a tightly-knit community often means limited resources. Mia Winnik, a senior at MIA shared, “It was a long process, and with no one physically at school to help, it was very stressful. I had to figure everything out on my own and I felt so lost and behind. She expanded, “I was second-guessing myself with every college I applied to. The whole thing made me not even want to go to college anymore. It was taking a lot of my time out of my day and didn’t allow me to take a mental health break.”
Similarly, Helena Davis, another MIA senior explained that her experience with the college application process reveals the toll it takes on mental health and self-esteem. She reflects, “The entire college process not only negatively affected my stress level, sleep habits, and mental health but also destroyed the way I view myself. I found myself determining self-worth in numbers, test scores, and whether or not a college accepted me. My confidence was completely shattered after receiving my first deferral, realizing that I would not get into as many schools as I initially hoped.”
Another large dilemma many seniors face is the struggle of deciding whether to stay in state or travel out of state for school. Here at MIA, most of students have been attending schools on Marco Island their entire life, and the idea of leaving everything and everyone you know behind can create an even larger amount of stress and anxiety. Annabelle Frazer, a senior at MIA who has attended school on Marco Island since elementary school quotes, “It’s a lot of pressure trying to ensure that I am making the right decision for myself. Deciding to attend school in a completely new environment with different people, a different culture, and even different weather feels intimidating compared to my classmates attending school in-state. At times, I fear that I will be lacking that built-in support system many of them share.”
As these seniors open up a new chapter in their lives, it is crucial to not only recognize these challenges and stressors, but to understand the toll it takes on their mental health as well. Besides acknowledgment, we must actively work towards establishing a support system within our close-knit community to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.
