Don’t Get Me Wrong
Don’t get me wrong, I understand. For the past seven years, you’ve maintained a perfect GPA, mastered the xylophone and medaled in Quidditch. Now, you (understandably) feel the need to apply to the best and brightest universities in the nation.
I don’t care.
Don’t get me wrong, I admire your hard work and perseverance. However, we’re still a good six months away from final decisions. I’ll be happy to hear about which amazing school you got into when the time comes. But for now? Can it. I’m tired enough as it is. I don’t have the physical strength to pretend that I’m interested in listening to your “reaches” for the fifth time this week. I don’t have the emotional strength to not start screaming when you post your SAT scores on your Snapchat story.
Don’t get me wrong, I love my class. But when every other conversation ends with some question of college choice, it’s too much; I’m asked the same by extended family! Brunch and lunch should be a reprieve from our strenuous academic schedule, not a reminder of everything I haven’t done. You worked on your essays over the summer? Cool! I didn’t, and every time you brag talk about it, my paranoia sets in.
Don’t get me wrong, confidence is great. It’s not great when you ask me my ACT score, so you can offhandedly mention your ACT score. We know your games, you’re not subtle. It’s the same for college. You know I’m expected to follow up with the question of your list when you ask me my list. You know I’ll politely gasp when you recite an Ivy, and you’ll humbly laugh it off. It’s all too much.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not much better. I’ve often found myself discussing the merits of Early Action while simultaneously analyzing the SAT scores of Everytown University—I’m just as obsessed as all of you. But we have to stop. College is a major part of senior year, but it shouldn’t be the only part.
As a famous senior once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
